


Go

by literatiruinedme



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate universe - chronic illness, F/M, If bodily fluids aren't your thing (which is totally fair) then don't read, Jughead has cystic fibrosis, Like I did mad research, Like a little so I have to tag it, Mild Smut, Northside Jughead Jones, Post-Graduation, Prescription Drug Use, Recreational Drug Use, Road Trips, Southside Serpent Archie Andrews, Southside Serpent Betty Cooper, Writer Jughead Jones, there's a lot of talking about CF in this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-03-09 14:56:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18919324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literatiruinedme/pseuds/literatiruinedme
Summary: After graduating from high school, Betty helps Jughead live a little.In turn, he makes sure she's okay.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so ik this isn't what you wanted tonight, but you'll like it- i promise. Please bear with me- I did a lot of research and I'm still looking things up but I did my best with the lot of it.
> 
> Also, I know there's another road trip au somewhere on ao3 - i've never read it but i don't think they're the same thing.
> 
> and the [mood board](https://imgur.com/hnez1eS)

“This is dumb,” Archie mumbled from the other side of Betty, arms crossed in front of his chest as he stared down the back of Reggie Mantle's head.

“It’s just a quick rehearsal.” Betty's arm was resting on the back of Jughead's chair as they sat in the sun, waiting for their turn to stand and practice walking to the podium and back to their seats.

“Just so you get comfortable enough that you don't trip.” Jughead laughed when Betty slapped his shoulder teasingly. He turned to face her, smiling before he leaned in to kiss her forehead.

Archie sighed, leaning back in his chair. “It's too damn early for this.”

“But this is the last time you need to be up for Riverdale High,” Betty reminded him as she dug through her bag. “After today, we're done.”

“True,” Archie sighed. “How'd we get this row? Shouldn't we be in the first one?”

Jughead accepted a bag of trail mix from Betty, kissing her forehead before he tore the plastic open, dropping a few pieces into his hand. “Weatherbee steered into the chaos when Betty demanded we sit together.”

“I did not _demand_ ,” she huffed, throwing her arms over the back of his chair again.

“I was scared during that conversation and you were holding my hand the whole time.”

“Jeeze, Betts,” Archie laughed. “You and Weatherbee going to throw down?”

Betty rolled her eyes despite the smile on her lips. “I wasn't that bad.”

Reggie turned around, shocking the trio into silence. “It's been twelve years, can you three give the commentary a rest for, like, thirty minutes?”

Jughead bit back a smile as Archie reached out to clap Reggie on the shoulder. “You'll never have to deal with us after today.”

Reggie rolled his eyes, turning to face forward in time for his row to stand.

“That's a mildly terrifying thought,” Betty mused.

Jughead turned towards her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “But then we get to hit the road and we're free to do whatever we want.”

Betty smiled, squeezing his shoulder. “Yeah, you're right.”

He rested his temple against hers as he closed his eyes, waiting until she nudged him when they were supposed to stand.

“You doing alright?” Betty whispered as they stood in line.

He nodded, reaching out for her hand. “Little tired,” Jughead hummed, offering her a bit of his trail mix.

She turned him down with a warm smile.

“Not even an m&m?”

She chuckled, turning back to kiss him before taking another step forward. “I'm alright.”

“Betts-”

“Really,” she promised. “I had a big breakfast this morning, remember?”

They had to show up at the school cafeteria at eight that morning. There was a very gross, very processed breakfast waiting for them before the rehearsal all graduating seniors had to attend on the football field. After the rehearsal was finished, they'd have two hours of free time before they had to come back to the school to get ready for the real ceremony.

Jughead nodded, not pushing any further as he angled the plastic so he could funnel a handful of trail mix directly into his mouth. He smiled when Betty squeezed his hand, letting go to walk around the podium and back to their seats. He followed after his history teacher waved him on, easily slipping back into Betty's side as he returned to his seat.

He chuckled when she wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning in to kiss his cheek. He rested his cheek on the crown of her head as he closed his eyes.

Betty curled closer, intently following the ceremony as he felt himself drift off.

“We're going to Pop's if you'd like to join us whenever you're awake, Princess.”

Jughead groaned, sitting up straight as he blinked the world into focus. He frowned when he noticed the field was mostly empty, save for the two sets of chairs and the empty stage. “Did I miss the party?”

Archie chuckled. “You made your own nap time.”

Jughead frowned, nodding as he slowly rose to his feet. He rubbed his eyes as Betty took his free hand in hers while she and Archie stood before they began walking towards the parking lot.

Betty's thumb brushed along the back of his hand as they walked. “Oh.” She turned towards Archie. “I need to stop in town for a minute, could I meet you guys at Pop's?”

Archie nodded, stepping away until Betty reached out to touch his arm.

“You want to take Jughead with you?”

His brows furrowed in confusion as he looked down at her. “Why?”

She took a step forward so her face was hidden from Jughead's gaze.

“Oh-” Archie’s face lit up with recognition. “Yeah, I'll take him.” He glanced back at Jughead with a smile before looking back at Betty. “Go, we'll meet you there.”

Betty nodded, turning back to Jughead with a smile. She pushed up on the tips of her toes to kiss his lips. “I'll meet you two at Pop's.”

Jughead nodded, leaning in to steal another kiss. “You want me to order anything for you?”

She shook her head, a bright smile on her lips. “No, but thank you.”

He nodded, squeezing her hand before she could pull away.

“Wait,” Archie called. “Key swap?”

Betty paused, nodding after a second before she tossed him her keys. She took Archie's, leaning in to kiss Jughead's cheek one last time before heading towards where Archie had parked his motorbike.

“Why do we get the Mom Mobile?” Jughead grumbled, stomping over to Betty's station wagon.

“I'll teach you how to drive the bike whenever you're not hooked up to Sparks anymore.”

Jughead pulled the passenger's side open, taking a seat before he buckled. “We're at least a few months and some unlucky fucker’s demise away from that.”

Archie took his seat behind the wheel. “Then you can learn after that.” He turned the engine over, smiling at Jughead before he backed out of the parking space. “What’s got you so angry?”

Jughead shrugged. “Didn't sleep last night.”

Archie hummed. “Nerves?”

Jughead shook his head. “Coughing.”

“Bad coughing?” Archie asked worriedly.

Jughead shrugged.

“Dude, come on.”

Jughead glanced over at him, frowning when he noticed the look of worry on Archie's face. “It's just from pollen in the air,” he lied.

“Jug-”

“Seriously, don't worry about it.”

Archie nodded after a moment of quiet. “She _will_ find out if you're sick.”

Jughead frowned, looking out the window at the trees they passed. “I know.”

“Okay.” Archie sighed, flipping on the radio. Jughead could feel his gaze burning into him as they hung back a few seconds too long at a stop sign. “How's the breathing thing?”

Jughead chortled, glancing back at Archie with a soft smile. “ _The breathing thing_?”

Archie shrugged, smiling at the road. “You get what I mean.”

“Yeah,” Jughead hummed, smiling at Archie before he looked out the windshield. “It's okay. Today feels like a good day.”

“Yeah?”

Jughead nodded. “Made myself walk up the stairs a couple extra times this morning.”

“Damn.” Archie whistled. “Really?”

Jughead smiled as he nodded. “Aren't I impressive?”

“You'll have Olympic coaches lining up outside your door in no time,” Archie teased as they pulled into the gravel parking lot outside Pop's. He idled by the door, turning to look at Jughead.

“Are you seriously trying to drop me off at the door?”

“Not trying. Get out.”

Jughead rolled his eyes. “Dude.”

“Car’s not moving till you’re out, man.”

“Fine.” Jughead forced his door open, sticking one leg out. “I hate you.”

“No, you don't.”

“Whatever,” Jughead mumbled, standing up and slamming the door closed behind him before walking straight into Pop's. He waved at Pop before walking over to his usual booth, sinking into the corner.

Jughead adjusted the cannula sitting under his nose, squinting at Archie as he sat down.

Archie smiled, winking at Jughead when Pop stopped at the edge of the booth to take their orders.

“You're going with vanilla this time?” Archie asked, confused at his choice in milkshake flavour.

Jughead shrugged. “I'm trying to tempt Betty.” He bit back a smile when he saw the puzzled look on Archie's face. “She won't pick off my plate anymore.”

Archie frowned. “Really?”

Jughead nodded. “I don't know why. She never picked too much, but I always liked when she stole a fry or two.”

Archie’s brows furrowed at the confession. “You doing okay?”

“Maybe I'm being a little dramatic,” he murmured. “I just don't get why she's coddling me now.”

“Yeah, you do.”

“I do?” Jughead asked, his brows pinched in confusion.

“You do.”

Jughead frowned.

A waitress walked over, placing a bacon cheeseburger with fries and extra pickles for Jughead and a sandwich for Archie on the table before walking away.

“How long has she been being weird?”

Jughead shrugged. “About a month, maybe.”

Archie hummed in acknowledgement. “And what happened at your last visit to the hospital?”

Jughead's eyes widened. At his last appointment, his lung function had finally dipped below forty percent. He'd been on the transplant list for some time already, but the news had been a bit of a gut punch; Betty had been with him, squeezing his hand a little too hard at the initial shock of the news.

He'd taken to carrying his portable oxygen around more frequently about a month after the fact- right around the time Betty had started to seem more strung out. “Well, shit.”

“I shouldn't be the voice of reason,” Archie huffed as he set the pickles his sandwich came with down on Jughead's plate. “It's not a good look for you.”

Jughead smiled despite himself, taking a bite of a pickle. “How did I not put two and two together?”

“You don't really get surprised by things anymore.” Archie shrugged. “Remember that infection you got last flu season?”

Jughead grimaced at the memory. He'd been bedridden for days before Gladys finally dragged him to the doctor. “Yeah, I remember.” He spent a week in the hospital chocked full of antibiotics with random side effects creeping out of nowhere. He'd been so tired by the time he left the hospital that Betty needed to shout on two occasions to wake him up for his medicine.

“Yeah, I know that wasn't fun for you, but the rest of us were freaking out, too.”

Jughead grit his teeth. He was the one dying, he had the right to act any way he damn well pleased.

“Hey, I'm not trying to be a dick,” Archie said quickly. “Just remember we're watching things unfold, too.”

Jughead had grown used to being poked and prodded, passed pill after pill after capsule after pill, and getting knocked off his feet by germs most people's immune systems would find trivial. He was no stranger to whatever the opposite of survivor's guilt was. He worried about what would happen to the people around him whenever he finally died, but he had grown numb to the treatments and how sickly he looked some days. “Maybe you have a point.”

“I'm not _just_ a pretty face,” Archie teased, smiling when Jughead laughed. “It's fine, I'd only really be worried if you stopped eating.”

“Yeah, that's a dead giveaway something's wrong.”

Archie chuckled, taking a bite of his sandwich. “So,” he said. “You going to Grad night?”

“Bold of you to assume I could stay up that late,” Jughead huffed making Archie laugh. “I'm out by eleven at the latest.”

“Yeah, I know.” Archie shrugged a shoulder. “Figured I'd ask.”

Jughead hummed in acknowledgement, smiling down at the burger between his fingers. “Betty and I are leaving right after the ceremony.” He took a bite before he looked up at Archie again. “Is that okay?”

Archie nodded, smiling softly. “It okay if you stop by the party The Serpents are throwing you?”

Jughead rolled his eyes. “You mean am I okay coming to the party The Serpents throw for _all of us_?”

Archie shrugged a shoulder.

“You guys are graduating, too.”

“Yeah, meanwhile you made it past eighteen _and_ graduation without new lungs. That's definitely worth celebrating.”

Jughead shook his head as he looked down at his burger. “I don't like parties.”

“Betty planned it-”

The bell over the door rang.

“You're going to pretend you love it.”

“Archie-”

Betty sat down next to Jughead, making him freeze. She leaned in to kiss his cheek, smiling warmly. “Hey, you.”

Jughead smiled, swallowing his burger. “Hey.” He leaned in, pecking her lips.

She smiled when he pulled away, reaching out to brush her thumb along his cheek. “You're messy today.”

He rolled his eyes despite the smile on his lips. “I do what I want.”

She hummed, wrapping her arm around his waist as she turned to Archie. “So, how are plans going on your end?”

He quirked a brow. “Plans?”

“For, you know,” Betty said coyly, internationally avoiding Jughead's gaze. “ _The thing_.”

“Oh.” His lips ticked upwards when he met Jughead's gaze. “The thing.”

Jughead frowned, glancing back at her. “Betty, can't we just leave after graduation like we planned?”

“We are...after a quick stop at The Whyte Wyrm.”

He let out a weak sigh, nodding in defeat. He opened his mouth to take a bite before he paused, looking back at her. “I'm not acting surprised and this is for _all_ of us.”

She hummed in affirmation, resting her hand on her shoulder as she leaned closer. “Pick one.”

He leaned in to kiss her lips. “It's for all of us.”

She smiled, kissing him back. “Okay.” She reached up to caress his cheek before she glanced at Archie. “So, the party.”

Archie chuckled, nudging his plate in Betty's direction. “So, the party,” he echoed, smiling as he leaned back in his seat. “Pop said he'd be willing to cater.”

“Whoa,” Jughead said, suddenly intrigued. “The great Pop Tate delivers for _us_?”

Betty shrugged, stealing a fry off of Archie's plate. “We are his best customers.”

“That's true,” Archie hummed.

Jughead smiled, nodding his head. “Okay, I definitely would have come if you said that.”

“Well, you’re coming anyway,” Betty said, tracing a fingertip along the plastic cannula winding over his ear, under his nose, and over the other ear. “So, that doesn't really matter, does it?”

He shrugged, smiling over at her. “Yeah, I guess that's fair.”

Betty hummed, stealing another fry before passing the plate back to Archie. She glanced down at Jughead’s plate. “Have you only had the one milkshake?”

He nodded, swallowing a mouthful of burger. “I’m not done yet.”

“I was just checking.”

“Yeah, I know.” He smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “And you're the perfect girlfriend for it.”

“You two may as well be married at this point,” Archie huffed, letting his head fall back against the edge of the booth.

“Yeah,” Jughead said slowly, turning towards Archie. “And who's the one biking cross country for everyone's favourite teenage Beyonce?”

“Can't remember his name for the life of me,” Betty sighed melodramatically. “Sounded something like Erchie?”

“No, Ernie?”

“Or was it Burt?”

Archie rolled his eyes. “You two should do a comedy tour.”

“I can see it now,” Jughead said, holding a hand out in front of him for emphasis on each syllable. “ _Brainiac and Some Dying Kid_.”

Betty shifted, accidentally knocking her knee against his thigh as she glanced away from the table. She had never liked his jokes about death, but they'd been even less popular since he'd finally gotten to the point where they couldn't deny that he needed new lungs.

Jughead pulled one hand back, wiping his fingers on a napkin before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer. He was far from dead, but he knew what kept her up at night. He kissed her temple, resting his cheek on the crown of her head as he took a deep breath in. He felt himself relax when she did, taking another breath before pulling away slightly.

Archie was pretending to do something on his phone, his way of giving them privacy when he didn't have the means or the energy to move.

Jughead turned back towards Betty, smiling warmly after he kissed her forehead. “Would you mind grabbing me another shake?” He pulled his wallet from his back pocket, holding it out to her. “Please.”

Betty sighed, taking the wallet from him before she scooted away. “Chocolate?”

“Are you getting vanilla?”

She nodded.

“Yeah, that's fine.”

She paused. “Did you want vanilla?”

He couldn't help but smile. “ _Betts_.”

“Fine,” she hummed before walking away from the booth.

“How's she doing?” Archie asked from the other edge of the table. “You know, overall.”

Jughead sighed, reaching up to rub his eyes before he sank back into the booth. “She's starting to make herself crazy.”

Archie frowned. “But you're still going on the trip?”

Jughead shrugged a shoulder before picking up his half-empty milkshake glass. He took a few sips, holding the glass up to see how much he had left. “It'll be fine. She can dump me in the nearest hospital whenever she finally cracks.”

“ _Dude_.”

Jughead sighed. “The trick is showing her the world and let her meet some...non-sick people. Maybe she'll meet a nice guy-”

Archie’s brows furrowed. “ _You_ are her nice guy.”

“Yeah, but I have a shelf life-”

Archie glanced away, smiling brightly. “Shut up, she's coming back.”

Jughead turned, brows furrowed when he noticed her empty hands. “Are they out of ice cream?”

She shook her head, stopping at the edge of the booth. “If I get strawberry do you still want chocolate?”

Jughead smiled. “Yeah, that's good.”

She nodded, walking back over to the counter.

He turned back to Archie with a pointed look. “She needs to stop worrying about me so much and focus on herself.”

“She's not leaving your side until we make her.”

Jughead glanced over his shoulder at where Betty was chatting with their waitress; she looked so relaxed in the black floral skirt that one of his gray t-shirts was tucked into. “I just don't want her living for me.” He turned back to see Archie slumped over the edge of the table. “Is that so wrong?”

Archie hummed, shaking his head. “Guess not.” He looked down at the table, picking at the warn varnish.

Jughead frowned. “Are you-”

“Worry about me when you're actually dying.” Archie sighed, forcing a small smile. “Okay?” He may have been one of the strongest people Jughead knew, but Archie was still a sensitive guy- even under his football helmet and his Serpent’s jacket.

Jughead nodded, even if he wasn't going to stop worrying.

Betty sat down with a milkshake in either hand, pulling him out of his thoughts. She held his milkshake hostage in exchange for a kiss, giggling warmly when he complied.

He took his milkshake, holding the cherry out for her before he took a sip. Jughead dropped the cherry stem on his napkin before he wrapped his arm around her. He closed his eyes as he kissed her hair, resting his cheek against the crown of her head.

Her silky hair was tied up in a tight ponytail, smoothed to near perfection below his cheek. She had a death grip on his waist as she turned back to Archie, going on about some Serpent business while Jughead closed his eyes. She tapped her thumb against his rib when he nearly slid off of her.

He blinked groggily, glancing down at her hand cradling his in her lap before he leaned back. He smiled when he noticed the serious expression on her face as she and Archie spoke.

Most of Jughead's skills in conjunction with the Serpents were boiled down to him not trying to be a hero and looking pretty on Betty's arm- figuratively and literally, when necessary. He was good at it, mostly, apart from the looking pretty thing- he was still _technically_ terminal after all -but he learned to tune out all but the most important details, excluding the times when Betty used him as a sounding board.

Betty turned towards him when Archie excused himself from the table, a small smirk on her lips. “How's the view?”

He smiled, tugging her closer so he could whisper in her ear. “You look really nice in my shirt,” he murmured, nipping at her ear.

Betty hummed in acknowledgement, resting her hand on his knee after he pulled away.

He pinned her hand underneath his after her fingers crept higher up the worn denim of his jeans. “Troublemaker.”

She squeezed his thigh, smiling a little brighter when he jumped.

Their waitress returned just before Archie did, setting a hot plate of quesadillas in front of Betty before walking off.

Betty untangled herself from Jughead, quickly digging in. She set a slice down on his plate glancing over at him with a warm smile, her cheeks puffed out a little with food. She watched him, waiting until he took a bite before she turned away, easily falling back into conversation with Archie.

* * *

The ceremony went by without a hitch.

Alice and Gladys elbowed their way onto the field for pictures, taking too many group photos before Fred helped tug them away, promising they'd seen them later. Archie had run off with them, leaving Betty and Jughead alone on the field.

“So,” Betty sighed, threading her fingers through his as they walked towards the school to receive their _actual_ diplomas to put in the pretty blue folders they received, each stamped with the state seal and _Riverdale High School_ embossed in gold along the cover. “How's it feel to be done?”

He sighed, shrugging a shoulder. “Is _weird_ an acceptable descriptor?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

He nodded. “Then that's the one.”

She smiled, leaning into his side. “We're real adults now.”

Jughead laughed loudly as they slipped in through the back doors. “That’s crazy.”

“I know,” she hummed, tightly gripping his hand as they wandered up the stairs.

Jughead tried to pull her along faster but eventually gave up like he always did, falling into step beside her as they climbed up to the next floor. He took deep breaths in through his nose, thankful for the extra oxygen as they exited the stairwell.

Betty tried to stop so he could catch his breath, but he tugged her along in the direction of the Blue and Gold office, stopping as she flipped through her keys. She pushed the key into the fidgety old lock, grabbing his hand to hold him back from entering.

He quirked a brow. “What?”

“Wait here,” she said, pecking his lips before she slipped inside, leaving the door open a crack behind her.

Jughead sighed, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited, tapping his foot on the floor with impatience.

“Okay,” Betty called after only a few moments. “Come in!”

Jughead’s brows furrowed, but he pushed the door open, stopping when he finally took her in.

Betty was smiling warmly, holding a white cupcake in a blue wrapper her hands, a single blue and white swirled candle in the middle. “Happy graduation!”

He smiled, walking to stop in front of her.

She held the cupcake out to him. “Blow out your candle.”

He sighed, reaching out to take the cake from her. “Am I supposed to make a wish?”

Betty hummed, looking down at the candle before she shrugged. “I’d say yes, but I don’t think you’ll get in trouble with the pastry gods if you don’t.”

“You’re a regular Emily Post.”

Betty grinned despite rolling her eyes. “Are you not hungry?”

“Now that’s just insulting,” Jughead huffed, rolling his eyes. He mirrored her smile before he leaned down, making a wish before blowing the candle out.

Betty cheered before flicking on the lamp sitting on her- well...the _next_ editor’s desk. “What’d you wish for?”

“Not telling.” Jughead smiled, pulling the candle out, swiping the end along the tip of her nose before he realized that she’d piped something sticky onto the top in place of frosting.

“Hey!” Betty laughed, pushing his hand away.

He held the cake up, eyes going wide when he realized it was topped with meringue. “You made lemon cupcakes?”

His _favourite_.

“With custard filling.” She smiled, nodding her head. “And when I called JB this morning, we decided there will be some baking while we’re in Toledo.”

“You’re amazing.”

“Just eat your cupcake.”

Jughead smiled, leaning down to kiss her lips. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she hummed, kissing him back before walking off to set about grabbing anything they’d left in the room before the ceremony.

He peeled the wrapper back, biting into the lemon cake as she checked that all of the drawers were empty for the third time that day. He crumpled the wrapper up when he finished the cake, happy and full as he dropped it in the empty wastebasket next to her desk. “Betts?”

She glanced up from a drawer, a lock of hair awkwardly wrapped around her ponytail. “Yes?”

He smiled, wordlessly holding his hand out to her.

Betty sighed, closing the drawer she was leaning over before she nodded, slipping out of her robe and gathering up their things. She extended her hand as she walked over, lacing her fingers through his before stopping in front of him.

“Ready?” Jughead asked, squeezing her fingers as he smiled down at her.

She glanced around the empty office with a sigh before nodding her head. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Good.” He smiled, leaning down to kiss her brow. “Now, let’s grab those degrees and leave.”

“Oh,” Betty said before smiling up at him. “Already did. Weatherbee slipped them under the door.”

Jughead grinned. “You’re crafty.”

She shrugged, swinging their joined hands as they walked through the mostly deserted halls of Riverdale High. “You know how I am.”

“Yeah, I do,” he hummed, following her out the front door and into the parking lot one last time. The walk across the empty lot was quiet, the cool summer breeze blowing soft pink petals from an apple tree planted along the edge of the sturdy black tar from one parking space to the next.

Betty pulled Jughead's car door open for him, smiling when he thanked her with a kiss on the cheek before sitting down.

He texted his mother that they were leaving the school before he glanced over to see her grinning down at her phone after she sat down. “Betts?”

She hummed in acknowledgement, glancing up at him with a bright smile. “What?”

He smiled back. “What's got you so happy?”

“Oh,” Betty hummed, looking down at her phone again. Her smile softened before she held it out to him.

He accepted the phone, looking down at the photo Cheryl had sent Betty, taken by Cheryl’s Serpent girlfriend, Toni Topaz, a graduating senior at Southside High. It was a candid of them; his hands were cupping Betty's face, holding her lips to his in a warm kiss they'd shared after finally throwing off their caps. The blue fabric of their robes was swallowing them up as they stood at the edge of the field, juxtaposed against the commotion of their graduating class milling about several yards away. Betty was smiling into the kiss, her hands planted firmly on his hips. The plastic tubing of his nasal cannula was almost invisible in the photo and Sparks was out of sight.

They almost looked like a happy, normal couple.

_Cheryl: TT snapped this and I just had to send it your way! Hope your road trip is wonderous; text me when you're home!_

_Cheryl: Miss you already, cousin!_

“This looks like a really nice photo.”

“Doesn’t it?” Betty said, smiling over at him.

He nodded, leaning in to kiss her. “Sorry, you didn't get to give your big valedictorian speech.”

She was so close; third in their class. Had things gone differently- had she _not_ been glued to his side for the last twelve years, through every hospital visit and clinical trial, she probably would have been able to pull it off.

Betty was the smartest person he knew and she deserved it.

Instead, they had to sit through Cheryl Blossom talking about how their lives were only beginning and Dilton Doiley’s weird speech pertaining to the recent flood of violence in high schools.

“There's always college.” Betty shrugged, pulling him in for another kiss. “Besides,” she continued. “Walking with you and Archie was better than any speech I could've given.”

He rolled his eyes before kissing her again. “You're such a dork.”

Betty rolled her eyes despite the smile on her face, pressing a parting kiss to his lips before she pulled away to start the car. “Takes one to know one.”

He settled into his seat, smiling brightly as they left the nearly empty parking lot. “Where are we going now?”

“You have a couple of options.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” Betty echoed. “So, at some point, we need to stop by The Whyte Wyrm.”

Jughead nodded. “Right, the surprise party.”

“Yeah, the surprise party,” Betty sighed, nodding her head. “But you really just need to show your face for a little bit- _maybe_ an hour.”

“I'm tired, Betty.”

“And I get that, which is why I'm going to do all the talking and you're going to sit there and look pretty.

“My number one skill.”

Betty laughed, nodding her head. “Exactly, I promise it won't be that painful.”

“Okay.” He smiled, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “What else?”

“I’d like to stop by the house at some point to change, you need to take your medicine, but that's in a few hours- oh, and I had a little change in plans you may be okay with?”

“Change in plans?”

Betty nodded. “It took some begging, but if you wanted to leave tomorrow morning, I talked your mom into letting me spend the night.”

Jughead's brows furrowed as he glanced over at Betty. “Really?”

She nodded again, smiling brightly. “We can make an appearance at the party and spend the night at home watching something on Netflix or YouTube.”

Jughead smiled, resting his hand on her thigh. “That sounds like a great night.”

Betty leaned over to kiss him at a red light. “You're not mad about the party?”

He sighed, shaking his head. “No, I'm not mad.”

Betty smiled, kissing him again before she turned back to the road. “Good, I was worried.”

“Hey, I'm very vocal.”

“Yeah, you are,” Betty hummed, smirking as she stared ahead.

Jughead laughed. “I meant about my dislike for things,” he corrected, lightly shoving her shoulder. “Perv.”

Betty winked, smiling as she turned onto Elm Street. She drove past her house, pulling into his driveway.

He sighed, glancing over at her with a tired look on his face. “I can walk more than three feet.”

Betty smiled, leaning over to kiss him. “Just shut up, okay?”

He closed his eyes, pulling her into another kiss. “If that's how you're shutting me up, then I'm okay with it.”

Betty rolled her eyes as she pulled away, shoving her door open. She grabbed his things, dragging them out of the car with her before he could protest.

“Come on.” Jughead pushed his door open. “That was funny!”

“Yes, you're _hilarious_ ,” Betty said somehow melodramatic even with boredom clear in her voice as she flipped through her keys.

“Your tone says otherwise,” he said, following her up the stairs to his front door. He stopped behind her, reaching out for her shoulder. His thumb brushed the spot along her vertebrae that he knew made her shiver.

She pushed the door open, turning to glare at him.

He smiled sweetly, quickly disarming her.

Betty rolled her eyes, motioning for him to walk inside. “Go take a nap.”

He frowned, his shoulders slumping where he stood. “Why can't I go with you?”

“You look exhausted, Jug.”

“I always fucking look like that,” he protested as Hot Dog ambled over, tongue hanging out while he panted as he sat in the doorway.

Betty glanced down at Hot Dog before she met Jughead's gaze again. “Your teddy bear awaits.”

Jughead smiled despite himself when Hot Dog closed his mouth, cocking his head as he looked up at Betty. “I don't think he likes that.”

Betty smiled, setting his things (securely wrapped up in the synthetic material of his deep blue robe) inside the door. She took a step closer, resting her hands on his shoulders as she leaned up to peck his lips. Her hands crept up to cup his cheeks before pulling away, holding him firmly in place as she smiled up at him. “Go lay down on the couch and I'll get you when I'm ready.”

Jughead nodded, leaning in to kiss her. “Text me,” he mumbled as he leaned back, closing his eyes as he fought back a yawn. “I'll be up.”

Betty was grinning when he opened his eyes. “I'll let myself in,” she said, ignoring him.

Jughead rolled his eyes, kissing her again before he pulled away, walking inside the house. “When's the party?” he mumbled, rubbing his tired eyes as he turned back towards her.

“Seven.”

He nodded. “Wake me at six.”

Betty nodded, taking a step inside to kiss his lips. “Enjoy your nap.”

He smiled sleepily, kissing her back before he watched her walk next door, waiting until she was inside before closing his own door.

He stretched his arms over his head before he pat Hot Dog’s head. “You want to take a nap with me, lazy?”

Hot Dog stood, walking around Jughead to nudge him along with a snout to the back of his thigh.

“I'm going,” Jughead huffed, smiling when Hot Dog barked. He walked over to the couch, setting Sparks off to the side before collapsing on his back with a sigh.

Hot Dog padded over, walking in a circle before taking a seat next to Jughead.

Jughead smiled, reaching out to scratch behind the dog's ears. He tugged the red knit blanket hanging over the back of the couch over him, not bothering to cover himself before closing his eyes.

He quickly drifted off to sleep, waking in exactly the same position, only Betty was kneeling where Hot Dog had been lying on the ground next to him as he took in the dimly lit living room.

“Hey, you,” she whispered, brushing his hair out of his eyes. She smiled as her hand slid down the side of his face to cup his cheek. “You feel okay?”

Nodding, Jughead rubbing his eyes before he sat up, clearing his throat. He took the cannula off, rubbing underneath his nose before refastening it. “What time is it?” he asked, his voice a little raspy. He cleared his throat again, ignoring the tickle in the back of his throat until he erupted into a coughing fit.

Betty's eyes went wide for a second before she composed herself, rising to sit beside him. She rubbed her hand in firm circles along his back, kissing his shoulder when he finally managed to catch his breath.

He leaned against her, smiling when he felt her lips on the back of his ear. “Time?” he tried again, reaching back to take her hand in his.

She rested her chin on his shoulder, wrapping her arm around him. “Few minutes after six.”

He nodded, closing his eyes again as he leaned back against her chest. “Five more minutes?”

“You're crushing me,” Betty whined, making no effort to move.

Jughead smiled, leaning his head on her shoulder, nudging her neck with the tip of his nose until she leaned in to kiss him. He smiled against her lips, closing his eyes before she pulled away.

Betty shifted behind him, bracketing his legs with her own as she gently squeezed him. “You sleep well?”

He nodded, humming happily when she kissed his temple. “Like the dead,” he murmured. He paused after he realized what he'd said. “I meant that in a good way.”

Betty nodded before kissing his temple again. “I know.”

He smiled weakly, sitting up straight. He rubbed his eyes just before Betty ruffled his hair, laughing when he whined. “You annoy me,” he mumbled.

Betty leaned forward to kiss his cheek, grinning when he immediately relaxed under his touch. “I think you're a terrible liar.”

Jughead rolled his eyes despite the smile on his lips, pulling her into another kiss before he slowly rose to his feet. He offered her his hand, helping to her feet.

She bent down to grab Sparks’ strap, helping Jughead situate it over his shoulder before they walked towards the stairs to his bedroom.

She let him lead, taking a seat on the edge of his bed as he gathered his medication, dumping the well-loved case he kept his antibiotics in on his bed. “Can I help?” Betty asked, smiling brightly as she did every time before.

Jughead nodded before he sat down at his desk, fiddling with his nebulizer as he rambled on about what he needed and- after she'd gathered the appropriate bottles -in what quantities.

“Did Doctor Simanovich put you on something new?” she asked, looking down at her open palm.

He nodded as he tugged on his Afflovest, buckling in before glancing around his desk. “After the visit last week she decided to add a few more candies to my twice-daily cocktail.” He pulled open his drawers, searching for an unopened water bottle.

“You went in last week?”

He nodded as he finally gave up his search, slumping back in his chair. “I had a free day Friday and Mom took me in for a last minute check up. Doc says hi, by the way.”

She hummed in acknowledgement, walking over to set his pills down in a neat pile on the edge of his desk. She reached out to tilt his chin up with a finger, smiling as she leaned down to kiss his lips. “I'm going to grab you a glass of water, okay?”

He nodded, pulling her in for another kiss. “Bring an extra cup.”

“Got it.”

Jughead smiled, watching her walk out before he turned on his nebulizer, setting the plastic mouthpiece between his lips as he scooped the pills up, counting and recounting how many lie in his palm.

After he was satisfied that his counting was accurate, he pulled his phone out of his back pocket, breathing through his mouth as he scrolled through Instagram, liking the occasional post. His phone chimed, alerting him that Archie had tagged him in a photo.

He clicked on the link, glaring down at his phone when the photo loaded.

Jughead was passed out on Betty's shoulder during the rehearsal as she and Archie looked at the camera. Archie was grinning widely while Betty seemed to be fighting giggles.

_We did it :D_

Archie’s simple caption made Jughead's shoulders relax; even if he would prefer _not_ being photographed while sleeping, Archie’s bright smile and the happy expression on Betty's face were worth it.

 _Rude™ but yeah we did!_ Jughead commented, looking up as Betty entered the room. He took a deep breath in to make sure the medicine reached every inch of his lungs before exhaling.

She smiled as she set the glass of water down on a coaster, covering up the smiling faces it was printed over; Betty and Alice had transformed a copy of a photo of Betty, Archie, and him at twelve into a set of three coasters, giving one each to him and Archie. “You see Archie's photo?” she asked, smiling as she set a pudding cup down in front of him.

His eyes widened in delight as he reached out for the plastic container- stopping only when Betty rested two fingers on top.

“Your mouth is occupied, Juggie, maybe don't try to add pudding to that equation.”

He smiled after admitting defeat, finishing breathing in the last of the medication in his nebulizer before he shut the machine off. He held the medicine in his lungs until they burned with the need for more oxygen, wheezing as he tried to catch his breath.

“Careful, Jug.”

He struggled to take a deep breath in before smiling up at her. “I'm fine,” he promised.

Betty sighed, leaning against his desk after carefully setting each of his pills onto the lid of the pudding. “How are you feeling?”

He turned the Afflovest on, setting a timer on his phone for thirty minutes before he turned his attention back to her. “The nap was helpful.” He let out a breath at the vibrations rocking his chest. He glanced over at the pudding container, carefully cataloguing the number of pills sitting on top.

“I'm glad.” She traced her thumb along his cheek, drawing his attention back to her face. “You were looking a little run down.”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, tracing the hem of her pencil plaid skirt from one leg to the other. He traced his fingers along the top of her thigh through her black lacy tights when he noticed the little Serpent hiding below the thin fabric.

He glanced up at her, suddenly astounded by just how beautiful she looked in her ribbed black sleeveless blouse and green skirt. The loose curls in her hair and her striking but simple earth-toned makeup made him smile.

Her brows furrowed even as she smiled at him. “What?”

He shrugged a shoulder, giving her another once over before he smiled up at her. “I was just thinking about how nice you look.”

Betty rolled her eyes despite the smile creeping over her lips. “You're a charmer, how can I trust your compliments?”

He shrugged, holding his hand out to her.

She gave him her hand, smiling down at him as he kissed the back of her hand. “Juggie,” she laughed.

He sat up straight, smiling brightly. After hacking and huffing, he turned away to spit into the empty cup. “You were telling me how cute I was there,” he said, smirking when she laughed. “Please continue.”

She smiled, reaching out to cup his cheek. “We were friends for about a decade before we started dating, what do you think could _possibly_ gross me out at this point?”

Jughead hummed, triggering a fit of coughs before he spat again. “Yeah, that's a good point.”

Betty hummed, brushing his hair off his forehead before pressing the back of her hand there and then to his cheek.

His brows furrowed. “What're you doing?”

She shrugged, cupping his cheeks in her hands. “You’re a little hot.”

“Thanks.” He winked.

Betty rolled her eyes even as she smiled at him. “No, your face.” She tilted his chin up. “You feeling alright?”

He nodded. “I'm great.”

Betty didn't seem convinced, but she didn't try to argue. “Okay,” she hummed, leaning down to kiss his forehead before she cleared his desk off, taking a seat perpendicular to him.

His speaker pinged, alerting him that someone (he has his suspicions) had connected to it. He smiled when one of Betty's favourite albums started to fill the room as he pulled her feet into his lap.

She smiled over the edge of her phone, poking his thigh.

He squeezed her sock-clad toes before continuing his usual routine, huffing and coughing and spitting and pretending he wasn't feeling so drained by the time he finally managed to unclip his Afflovest.

Betty brushed her fingers through his hair as he took a few deep breaths in and out.

He smiled at the feeling, resting his head on her thigh as he closed his eyes.

“You okay?”

Jughead nodded, wrapping his arms around her legs as he held her close. “Give me a minute,” he mumbled, absentmindedly tracing his open palm along the back of her calf. His shoulders relaxed as Betty trailed her fingers along the back of his neck.

“You need to-”

He shushed her, tightening his grip on her legs. “One minute?”

After a moment of hesitation, she sighed heavily. “Okay.”

He rested his cheek on her thigh, smiling sleepily when she brushed her thumb back and forth along his cheek.

The pads of her fingers trailed down his neck, slipping just below the hem of his shirt before she tapped her fingers along the back of his neck. “Come on, kitten.”

He whined, tightening his grip on her.

Betty mimicked the noise mockingly, drumming her fingers over his shoulder when he laughed.

He pulled away, groaning as he gazed up at her.

Betty winked, smiling down at him before she turned away, carefully pouring his pills into her hand before she held it out to him.

He sighed, picking up a large white capsule before popping it in his mouth. He grabbed his water, swallowing the pill with a sip of water before reaching out for the next one. “I feel like a very fancy chicken eating out of your palm.” He glanced up when Betty laughed, a flush covering his cheeks when she smiled down at him. “Sorry, that was a dumb joke.”

“No, it was good,” Betty said, reaching out to brush his hair back. Her fingers trailed along the line of his jaw, tipping his chin up with a smile as she looked down at his lips.

Jughead hummed, wetting his lips before he smiled up at her. “What're you thinking about?” he asked as his freehand found its way to her calf, tenderly squeezing her flesh.

“Something indecent,” she admitted, not looking away from his lips. She blinked, smiling brightly as she met his gaze again.

Jughead smiled smugly as he grabbed another pill from her. “Yeah?”

She nodded, nudging the last of his pills into the centre of her palm.

“Are you going to tell me about it?” he asked, taking another sip of his water to wash down his pill.

She smiled, reaching out to cup his face in her hands. “Not now,” she said, poking his thigh with her toe again.

Jughead pouted as he took his last few pills in succession before tipping the cup back, finishing his water before he set it down next to Betty. “Why not?”

“Because,” Betty said, reaching out to run her fingers through his hair, drawing a groan from the back of his throat as she scratched his scalp. “We don't have time.”

“Betty-”

She cut him off with a shake of her head. “After.”

He perked up in his seat, smiling brightly. “Really?”

She nodded after a moment of hesitation. “Really.”

He nodded back, wrapping his arms around her legs again. “Would you be willing to tell me about it?”

Betty smiled. “You really want me to tease you like that?”

He shrugged a shoulder, nodding shyly.

It was no secret Betty was the perfect complement to his personality, but in bed, she was something else entirely. She could read his body better than he could most times and while at first he had been embarrassed by it, the feeling had started to fade when he'd learned that he could depend on her in any capacity.

Whether it be something as trivial as making sure he was snacking enough throughout the day or her helping him shut off his mind.

“Well,” she sighed, resting her hands on his shoulders. “Yeah, that sounds okay.”

He sat up a little straighter, listening attentively as she formulated her thoughts.

“I want you to be a good boy at the party tonight and then I'll let you be on top,” she said, reaching out to card her fingers through his hair. “If you want.”

He smiled brightly, nodding his head. Normally, he let her have him any way she wanted, rarely ever asking to be on top, but he had to admit he _liked_ it. Even if his lungs disagreed, he enjoyed the feeling of watching her lose control beneath him, begging for more. “I want.”

Betty smiled, cupping his face in her hands as she bent down to kiss him. She pulled back slowly, smiling warmly when he opened his eyes.

He felt his cheeks burn as he maintained eye contact. “What?”

She shrugged a shoulder, kissing his lips and then his forehead. “I'm proud of you,” she said finally.

“Of _me_?” he asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

She nodded.

“Why?” He asked, unable to hold back nervous laughter. “I barely made it.”

“But you _did_ make it,” she countered, a firm look in her eyes. “You got your degree and you're going to finish your book and I'm really proud of you.”

He pulled her in for another kiss, tugging at her hand as a way of wordlessly encouraging her to sit down in his lap. He smiled when she pulled back just long enough to settle on his thighs, both arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed him fiercely. His fingers slowly crept up her thighs, stopping when he realized she wasn't wearing any panties under her skirt and her stockings were held up with clips.

She pulled away, lips pressed against the shell of his ear. “You get your present later tonight.”

He gasped when she nipped at his earlobe.

“Understood?”

He nodded, happy Sparks was sitting next to him, feeding oxygen through the thin plastic sitting under his nose. “Understood,” he echoed, reaching out to grip her chin so he could press his lips to hers.

She smiled against his lips, threading her fingers through his hair before her phone buzzed, shocking them apart.

He chuckled, resting his forehead on her shoulder. “Time to leave?”

“No, you still need to get ready.” She carded her fingers through his hair. “Let me go?”

Jughead whined, reaching out to pull her into him. “I don't want to go.”

“We'll only stay an hour or two, it won't be that bad.”

“Betty, I really don't _care_ about these people.”

“Yes,” She sighed heavily. “But they care about you.”

Jughead frowned, looking down at her shoulder, just needing a second without her beautiful green eyes so intensely locked on him.

She was definitely right in trying to make him go.

He didn't want to care- didn't want to sit through the pitying forced smiles and being treated with kid gloves. No one ever meant to do it, but it still made his skin crawl.

He was terminal, yes, _okay_ , but he had been terminal for eighteen years. There were people with CF in their forties. His odds weren't great, but at least there were odds.

At least he was _alive_.

Betty kissed his cheek before she got to her feet. “I'll pick something out.”

He nodded, watching her wander over to his drawers to grab a pair of slacks before moving onto his closet.

She hummed to herself as she flipped through his hangers, settling on a dark green short-sleeved button up. “Could I get you out of the house in this or would you prefer black?”

He smiled, shrugging a shoulder. “I'm your dress-up doll, aren't I?”

Betty rolled her eyes as she smiled at him. “I want you to be comfortable, Jug.”

“I'll be comfortable so long as you're by my side.”

Her whole body relaxed and her smile softened to that sweet expression she thought he didn't see when he was trying to be perfect for her. “Okay,” she hummed as she walked over, laying his trousers and shirt on the bed so she could work on unfastening the line of buttons running down the front of the dark green fabric. When she finished with the shirt on his bed, she turned back to him, bending at the waist to work on the buttons of his light blue dress shirt he was wearing.

He watched her carefully, remaining still as she worked through each of the buttons before pushing it off of his shoulders.

She took the shirt, unrolling the sleeves before she messily folded it, setting it down on the edge of the bed. “Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to stare?” she teased, glancing over at him.

“You're only supposed to _look_ at fine art.”

Betty rolled her eyes, unable to fight the smile on her lips. She offered him the button up, leaning down to peck his lips before she sat down on the edge of his bed again. “Just get changed.”

“Okay,” he hummed, tugging the button up on over his black tank top. Jughead was about to fasten the first button when she cocked her head to the side, a lazy smile playing at her lips. “What is it?”

“I was just thinking about how nice you look,” she hummed, echoing his earlier statement with a charming smile on her lips.

He smiled, looking down at the forest green fabric against his black undershirt. “Buttoned or unbuttoned?”

Betty hummed, giving him a once over. “Unbuttoned looks nice.”

“Really?”

She nodded, smiling brightly.

He smiled back, grabbing Sparks as he stood. “Sounds like we're ready then.”

Betty grinned, leaning up on the tips of her toes to kiss him before grabbing the mouthpiece for his nebulizer and the cups on his desk. She scanned the room quickly before turning to him with a smile. “I'll be downstairs.”

Jughead nodded, pulling her in for another kiss before she ran out of the room. He made sure he had his phone and his wallet before following, turning the light off behind him. He made his way downstairs, pulling on his shoes as he waited for Betty.

He cocked his head to the side as he stood, gazing at himself in the mirror. He frowned when he noticed how tired he looked. It wasn't exactly a low energy day for him, but he'd been ready for bed all day- even with the three-hour nap he managed to squeeze in.

Betty walked into the room, smiling at his reflection before she pulled her shoes on. “You ready?” she asked, looking down at her sparkly silver clutch.

Jughead nodded, not turning away from his own gaze in the mirror. He jumped a little when Betty's arms wrapped around his waist and her chin rested on his shoulder. “Sorry,” he practically whispered.

Betty frowned at his reflection before turning to kiss his cheek. “What's wrong?”

He shrugged, looking down at the floor.

“Hey,” Betty hummed, gently squeezing his waist. “What's on your mind?”

He sighed, meeting her gaze in the mirror again before he straightened. “Do I look too skinny?”

She blinked, taken aback by his question. “What?”

He sighed, sinking back into her embrace. “I feel very-” He paused, contemplating his words. “Dead guy walking today.”

“Oh, Juggie.” Her arms dropped from around his waist before she stepped between him and the mirror. She took his face in her hands, pulling him in for a short kiss. “You look perfect.”

He nodded, closing his eyes as he rested his forehead against hers. “I'm sorry-”

She interrupted him with her lips pressed against his. Her hand sliding down to rest on his neck made his shoulders relax. “You have no reason to be sorry,” she whispered, pecking his lips again before she looked up at him, her hands firmly gripping his upper arms. “You look very handsome, I promise.”

He smiled weakly, pulling her into a hug. “Thanks.”

She smiled against his neck, kissing him before she rested her head on his shoulder. “Hey, it's my job to tell you how gorgeous you look.”

Jughead chuckled, rolling his eyes. “I thought that was my job.”

Betty shrugged, her fingers interlocking with his own. “When has our relationship been conventional in any sense of the word?”

He paused. “Good point.”

“I know, right?” she teased, smiling up at him when he chuckled. “Are you ready?” she asked, squeezing his hand.

He nodded, adjusting how Sparks’ strap sat over his shoulder. “I think so.” He gave himself another once over in the mirror, sighing before he looked back at Betty with a smile. “Ready to party?”

“I was born ready.”

He chuckled, letting her pull him out the door to her car.

“So, your mom texted.”

“Yeah?”

Betty nodded, pecking his lips before she let go of his hand, walking around to the driver's side. “Apparently, she needs us to meet her at The Whyte Wyrm right away.”

Jughead chuckled, closing his door and buckling in before he turned back to Betty with a smile. He paused when he noticed her quirked brow. “Oh, I'm supposed to play along?”

She nodded, smiling brightly before she turned the car on, tapping on her phone so the radio continued streaming the album from his room.

“What on earth could she possibly need?” he asked as they backed out of the driveway.

“That's the crazy part,” Betty continued, resting her hand on his thigh. “She won't tell me.”

He hummed in acknowledgement, scooting closer as he reached out to rest his arm on the back of the seat. “So, we'll find out when we get there.”

She smiled warmly as she looked straight ahead. “Guess we will.”

He smiled, settling into his seat as they made the short drive across town. He had his eyes closed by the time they parked, only opening again to Betty's hand gently squeezing his thigh.

“Are you awake enough for the ball, Cinderella?”

He smiled as he nodded, stretching the best he could within the confines of the car before pushing his door open. He stood, glancing around the parking lot packed with cars and motorcycles. “Wow,” Jughead said dryly. “Almost like there's a party going on or something.”

Betty rolled her eyes, holding her hand out to him. “Come on.”

He smiled, walking over to take her hand in his before they headed inside.

Fred, Alice, Archie, and his mother greeted them at the door with hugs and congratulations. The bar was already packed (they were late after all), so their arrival didn't break up the party.

Betty and Jughead sat down in a booth by the back; she handled most of the conversation from people who'd pulled up a chair while he made his way through an order of the greasiest, gooiest mozzarella sticks and some baked chicken strips, offering snide commentary when the moment was right.

He nodded off at some point, suddenly awakened by Betty curling into his side. He wrapped his arm around her waist as he smiled down at her.

“Good morning,” Betty whispered, kissing his jaw. “How are you doing?”

“I'm a little sleepy,” he hummed, glancing down at her. He smiled when she kissed his cheek, wiping her thumb along the silky smear of her red lipstick.

“You want to go home?”

He nodded, resting his head on her shoulder.

Betty shivered as his lips brushed her throat. “Don’t,” she hissed, though there was no heat to it.

He smiled against her throat. “I want you.”

Her fingers crept up the back of his spine, wrapping around the back of his neck. “What did I say?”

Jughead whined, sitting up straight. “I've been _good_.”

“You have.” She kissed his cheek, smiling when he turned towards her before she leaned in to kiss his lips. “Stop misbehaving.”

He smiled, leaning forward to kiss her neck. “Can we leave?”

Betty nodded. “Just let me find Archie.” She kissed his cheek again. “Wait here and I'll be right back.”

He nodded, looking down at his soda. He watched bubbles rising to the surface, his vision blurring out of focus a little until someone sat down across from him.

Sweet Pea smiled from the other side of the table, setting down the beer he was nursing.

Jughead raised a brow. “Should you be drinking that?”

“Pipe down, pin cushion,” Sweet Pea teased, smiling before he took another sip. “How's it going?”

Jughead shrugged, taking another sip of his soda. “Things aren't too bad.”

Sweet Pea hummed as he nodded his head. “Really, though. Betty isn't around, man; whole truth, nothing but.”

Jughead sighed, looking over at Betty as she laughed with Archie and Fred by the bar before he met Sweet Pea's gaze again. “Things could be better. Going to need new lungs soon, but that's life.”

“And she's holding up okay?”

He shrugged a shoulder.

“Jones, come on.”

“She's going to be fine.”

“What about right now?”

Jughead frowned. “She's...not dealing well. But she will.”

Sweet Pea cocked a brow.

“She's okay. I'll make sure she's okay.”

“You’d better,” Sweet Pea hummed.

Jughead nodded, looking down at his soda for a few moments. “I already talked to Archie, but-”

“You want me to keep an eye on her?”

Jughead cracked a smile. “Yeah,” he said, nodding his head. “Just...Archie has a lot on his plate with the Serpents and you guys are close.”

Sweet Pea smiled, nodding his head. “The princess will be cared for.”

Jughead chuckled, smiling brightly across the table. “You're a good friend, Pea.”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Anything for you, Tiny Tim.”

Betty sat down next to Jughead, resting her arm on his shoulder. She leaned in to kiss his cheek before turning to face Sweet Pea. “What're you two trouble makers discussing?”

“Punctuality of Godot,” Sweet Pea and Jughead said in unison.

Jughead bit back a smirk as he glanced over at Sweet Pea.

“Sounds fun,” Betty hummed, reaching out to straighten Jughead's beanie. “You ready, Jug?”

He nodded, smiling down at her. “You had your fill of partying?”

She smiled warmly as she leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Yeah, I'm set.”

“Good,” he mumbled, brushing his lips along her forehead before he turned back to Sweet Pea. “We'll see you?”

Sweet Pea nodded. “You two call if you need anything, understood?”

Betty nodded, pulling away from Jughead to sit down next to Sweet Pea, hugging him fiercely. “Promise.”

He smiled, hugging Betty back as Jughead stood, waiting. “Be safe, princess.”

“Will do.” Betty slid out of the booth, standing in front of Jughead. “Ready?” she asked, holding her hand out to him.

Jughead took her hand in his, glancing around The Whyte Wyrm before he nodded. “Yeah.”

She squeezed his hand, smiling when he met her gaze. “Let's head home.”

Jughead nodded, squeezing her hand before leading her towards the door.

They slipped out the front door, quickly making their way to the car before driving back to Jughead's house.

Betty parked where she had earlier, leading him back to the front door and upstairs to his room.

“Raincheck on tonight?” Jughead murmured, eyes barely open as Betty followed him up the stairs.

She squeezed his hand. “Of course.”

He smiled, stopping to sloppily kiss her cheek. “I love you.”

She smiled, kissing him back as she moved to wrap her hand around his waist. “I love you, too, Jug.”

He smiled, resting his temple on the top of her head. “You're amazing, Betty.”

She chuckled, giving him a squeeze before finally leading him up to his room. She set about undressing as Jughead did the same, both of them quickly falling into bed together. Betty scanned the SNL YouTube page on his television screen, flipping through skit after skit.

Jughead watched the television with heavy-lidded eyes, holding Betty close as she chuckled at a joke in the skit on screen. His eyes slipped closed as her fingers tangled in his hair.

She kissed his brow before ruffling his hair. “Sleep, Juggie.”

He nodded, resting his head over her heart. He smiled to himself at the steady, familiar sound of her heart beating below his ear. “I love you,” he mumbled, his words slurred to his own ears.

Betty wrapped her arms around his shoulders, giving him a gentle squeeze. “I love you, too.”

He smiled, shifting to kiss her collarbone. “I really love you.”

She shushed him, running her fingers through his hair in a soothing repetitive motion. “Rest, baby.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riverdale, New York to Erie, Pennsylvania. 
> 
> An adventure begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, it's me! Okay so since ya girl (me) works in retail and August is Trash(TM) for retail employees, so I may disappear (again) for a minute after this, but I will return.
> 
> Love you bbs, enjoy <3

Jughead woke to the feeling of kisses being peppered along the side of his face, his neck, and his shoulders. He yawned, burrowing further into the pillows, smiling at the sound of Betty's angelic laughter beside him. “What're you doing?” he murmured, twitching when she poked his side. “Betty,” he groaned, slapping her hand away. 

“It's six o'clock.”

Jughead sighed. “Come here,” he mumbled, reaching out for her. 

Betty threaded her fingers through his as she moved to wrap her body around him. She kissed the back of his neck, smiling sweetly against his skin. “You need to get up.”

Jughead shushed her, holding her hand over his heart. “I'm tired of waking up at six for PT,” he groaned.

Betty hummed against the shell of his ear. “Seven okay?”

He contemplated her proposal before nodding his head. “Thank you.”

“I love you,” Betty said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

He smiled, squeezing her hand. “I love you, too.” He chuckled when Betty's leg snaked over his thigh, pulling him further into her warmth. “You're clingy this morning.”

Her kisses continued along the line of his throat. “Maybe I want something.”

“And what could that be?” he teased, ignoring how heavy his eyelids felt.

She practically purred as she kissed the sensitive space just below his ear. “You.”

He smiled. “Minx.”

Betty chuckled, giving him a small squeeze. “Can I-”

“My mom is right down the hall,” he whined.

“You can be quiet.”

“We're going to be in an Airbnb tonight all by ourselves-”

“But I want you _now_.” 

Jughead sighed, smiling up at the ceiling. “Sucks that I can't just roll over and tell you not to wake me.”

“I can try.”

He glanced back at her, smiling warmly. “You really think I could sleep through that?”

Betty shrugged, pushing up on an elbow before resting her head on her palm. “You've fallen asleep twice.”

Jughead frowned. “In my defence, my medication made me drowsy.”

She leaned in to kiss his cheek again. “I know,” she murmured as she brushed his hair out of his eyes. “You feel alright today?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, letting go of her hand to rub his tired eyes. “Can we sleep a little more before you start making more offers I can't refuse?”

Betty chortled before nodding her head. “I'll wake you up at seven, okay?”

He nodded, shifting onto his back. He held his arm out to Betty, smiling when she curled into his side, wrapping an arm around his waist.

She made a noise of contentment when he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. 

Jughead felt rather than heard her next alarm, ignoring the vibrations amplified by his mattress as he rolled onto his side. He groaned when Betty wrapped herself around him, kissing the back of his neck as she always did when she wanted to nudge rather than pull him out of sleep.

“Come on, Juggie, it's seven.”

He groaned. “Don't want to.”

“You have to.”

“But _sleep_.”

“But _road trip_ ,” Betty countered, gently nudging him over so she could lay her body over his. She slowly kissed her way up his neck, laughing adorably when he rolled her onto her back. “He lives.”

Jughead hummed as he crawled over her, settling between her thighs. He slid his hand down her side, smiling as her body tensed when he squeezed her hips.  “What a beautiful thing to wake up to.”

“Oh,” Betty hummed, struggling to suppress a smile as his fingers trailed over her ticklish belly. “So, I'm a _thing_ now?”

He smiled as he leaned in to kiss her lips. “You're the perfect alarm clock.”

She giggled before pressing her mouth to his.“And _you_ -” Her nose brushed along his. “Are a dork.”

“Oh, hell yeah.”

Betty smiled, cupping his face in her hands. “We have to get up if we want to miss the morning rush with enough time to make ground before stopping to avoid the lunch rush.”

He mirrored her smile, leaning forward to kiss her lips. “I love it when you talk traffic patterns in bed.”

Betty rolled her eyes before wiggling out of his grasp to sit up. “I'll pick out an outfit for you.”

Jughead rolled over to bury his face in his pillow. “Something with sweatpants, please.”

She lobbed a wad of fabric at him, hitting him in the back. “Get up.”

Jughead rolled over and pushed up on his elbows, grinning at her. “Make me.”

Betty quirked a brow as she looked him up and down. She huffed after a moment, turning back to grab a shirt and the green sweater she seemed to favour recently. She dropped the clothes in his lap before she sat down next to him, a pair of black leggings and a white muscle tee folded on her lap. She made a show of stripping out of her sleep shirt, her hair tumbling wildly over her shoulders, grown out a little and free in the prettiest waves that he wanted to get lost in.

He swallowed when he glanced down at her breasts, shivering when he noticed her shoulders pushed back and her spine arched softly. “Betts,” he sighed, looking up at the ceiling. “It's, like, _super_ early.”

“Yeah,” she hummed, tapping his cheek after she pulled on a pretty yellow bralette. “I really don't care,” she hummed, smiling sweetly as she pulled the white t-shirt over her head.

“Why are you trying to look like…” He gestured wildly, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach as her lips tilted up in a smirk. “ _That_ ,” he settled on dumbly.

Betty quirked a brow. “Yeah?”

He blushed, nodding his head. “Ten out of ten.”

She whistled as she reached for the cannula hung over his bedpost, passing it off to him before leaning down to fiddle with Sparks’ settings. “High praise.”

Jughead nodded before he leaned down to line the plastic tubing up with his nose, looping it over his ears. He straightened, taking a few deep breaths before looking up at her with a smile. “Was going to be eleven, but we only had the budget for two of each number.”

“Damn.”

He shrugged. “Someone has to keep you humble.”

Betty leaned in, pressing her lips to his. “You're cute.” 

“Thank you,” he said, smiling against her lips.

Betty hummed happily before she rose to her feet. She turned back to him, offering him a hand. “Please, come join the world with me?”

Jughead sighed, forcing himself to sit up before he reached out for her.

She smiled sweetly, leaning up to kiss his lips after she helped him to his feet. “Good morning, sunshine.”

Jughead groaned, rolling his eyes despite how hard he was smiling; she was so adorable, it made his heart clench behind his ribs. He leaned in to kiss her again, his head buzzing at the sweet taste of her mouth. “You're too cute for before eight.”

Betty chuckled, giving him a gentle squeeze. “Get dressed, Juggie.”

“Okay, okay,” he finally acquiesced, kissing her forehead. He rubbed his tired eyes before he tugged on the pair of sweats she'd thrown at him and changed into the shirt Betty had brought over.

“I'm going to take a quick nap,” Betty said, crawling back under the covers fully clothed.

“Okay,” Jughead murmured, leaning down to kiss her lips. “Sleep well.”

She smiled, pulling him in for one more kiss before she slipped under the covers.

He fiddled with his nebulizer after he took a seat. As he breathed in and out, his eyes landed on a weekly pill organizer with four columns for each day’s pills: morning, afternoon, mid-afternoon, and evening. He popped open the morning tab, poured the pills into his palm, counting and recounting the number he was holding until he was satisfied that the dose was correct.

Jughead tended to stray away from pill organizers. By no means was he neurotic about what happened with his medication, but his _mildly_ obsessive counting was the one exception. He liked to _see_ and _count_ each pill before taking it. 

Jughead blamed his apprehension on the singular family trip the Jones’ took. They’d driven to Ohio when FP was looking for work that would pay far more than anything he could have found in Riverdale. Jughead spent the entire first half of the trip groaning about how his stomach hurt, and _JB,_ who had been under the age of five at the time, was the one who realized something was wrong when she’d counted two pills fewer than he was supposed to be taking. Jughead had laughed at first, then counting the pills in his palm once, twice, five times before he ran to Gladys, the knot in his throat so tight he couldn't speak.

They'd stopped using a pill organizer shortly after, as both he and Gladys felt more at ease with counting the pills out at the time they needed to be administered.

However, Betty liked the organizers. He was sure she meant no harm, and he would never turn down her help because she was _Betty_ and he trusted her, but he also wouldn't be shocked if she'd taken it upon herself to help him get over the particular qualm on their trip.

After the fifth recounting with no mistakes, Jughead felt himself relax into his chair. He carefully set his pills to the side in favour of pulling on his Afflovest.

Betty rested on his bed as he set about finishing up his usual routine. 

As he carried on through the motions, he watched her. 

She was on her side, facing him as she cuddled his pillow, blissfully napping away. Her hair spilled out over the pillow in waves, disappearing into the blankets she was tucked under. She looked, for lack of a better term, _precious,_ and he wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed with her, but the rapid clapping against his chest reminded him that he had other priorities as she somehow managed to sleep through his huffing and coughing.

She only stirred after he’d finished his PT, when he was wandering around his room making sure his bags were packed properly. “What're you doing?” she murmured, not looking over at him as she sank further into the blankets.

“Just making sure I have everything.” He smiled as he glanced over from where he was kneeling to see her burrow even further under the sheets. With a sigh, he pushed up on his feet before he ambled over, poking her side through the blankets as he settled on the edge of the bed.

She looked up at him with murder in her eyes. “Jughead Jones-”

“Oh!” he said, interrupting the spiel she was about to break into as he laid down on top of her over the covers. “I’m sorry, were you laying here?”

“Stop it!” She laughed despite her protests, fighting against his probing fingers to no avail. She gasped when he zeroed in on her belly through the blankets, unable to fend him off as she was practically pinned under the covers. “You're a jerk!”

“Maybe,” he hummed, leaning down to kiss her lips in an attempt at giving her a false sense of security. “At least I'm not ticklish.”

“I'd beg to differ.” Betty's eyes narrowed for half a second before she dissolved into laughter again. 

“Then _beg_.” 

She glanced at the door as she fought against him, and a knowing grin spread across her face.

“Is this really the most efficient use of your time this morning, hotshot?” Gladys asked dryly from the hallway, startling Jughead.

“Mom.”

Gladys eyed the two of them as Jughead straddled Betty over the blankets. “Food. Downstairs. Five minutes.”

Jughead nodded quickly, ignoring the heat he felt rising over his cheeks as he watched his mother turn and walk away. He let out a sigh when he heard her shuffle down the stairs.

“You're an ass,” Betty mumbled, shoving Jughead off of her. She gasped before laughing warmly when he slipped off of the bed, landing on his ass on the floor beside her. “Oh, Juggie-”

He let his head fall back against the edge of the bed, sticking his tongue out at her before taking a few deep (well, he did what he could) breaths. Jughead smiled when she ran her fingers through his hair, leaning into her touch. “Truce?”

She hummed, giving his hair a teasing tug before she pulled her hand away. “For now.”

Jughead sighed, leaning back against the bed. He watched as she sat up, stretching her arms over her head before she rubbed her eyes. 

She smiled down at him, leaning in for a chaste kiss before she stood, walking over to his black duffle bag. She carefully unzipped the bag, rummaging around. “Where's your-”

“Meds are packed up with my nebulizer in the green bag with all the other random CF stuff,” he quickly rambled off. “Black duffle bag is clothes and stuff. The black backpack is coming with, but I’ll have that one.” He patted the army green bag fit specifically to his personal oxygen container sitting next to him on the floor. “Sparks is here.”

“Of course.” Betty nodded, looking down at his abdomen. “And the Afflovest is an...interesting fashion statement or are you just cold?” She met his gaze again, smiling warmly.

Jughead felt himself flush as he glanced down at the blue Afflovest he was still wearing. “Bit of both?” He admitted, shrugging a shoulder as he met her gaze again.

She laughed lightly, closing the distance between them. “Could I interest you in the following,” she mused, reaching behind him for his green sweater laying on the bed. “Your sweater in exchange for the Afflovest.”

Jughead nodded, smiling up at her as he shrugged out of the Afflovest, holding it out to her before pulling on the sweater. He reached out to slowly rub his thumb back and forth over her ankle, awaiting further instruction. 

Betty dropped the Afflovest on his bed, holding both hands out to him, wiggling her fingers as if that could entice him into taking her hands faster. She smiled brightly when he took her hands, letting her help him to his feet. “That's better,” she said, leaning up to peck his lips. She squeezed his hands before she pulled away, walking off to tuck his Afflovest into his green duffle bag. “You're not forgetting anything?”

Jughead hummed in thought, mentally going through everything he’d packed. “Did you grab the disposable nebulizer heads from the pharmacy?”

She paused for a moment, drumming her nails along the coarse fabric of the duffle as she thought. “I'll double-check when we get to the car, but I'm almost positive they're in the back seat.”

Jughead nodded, scanning the room for anything he may have forgotten.

“You packed a mask?”

Jughead rolled his eyes before he glanced back at Betty.

“It was just a question,” she said, raising her hands in surrender. 

“I know, I just…” He frowned, not even really sure _why_ he was annoyed when they both knew that she was just trying to be helpful. He sighed, shoulders slumping as he nodded his head. “Yeah, I have one.”

Even if he somehow managed to forget a face mask (in the off chance they needed to visit a hospital or use public transportation), he knew there were spare disposable ones in the pockets of almost all of his jackets (and probably hers as well), her purse, and the glove compartment of her car. 

She nodded, walking over to wrap her arms around his waist. She rested her head on his chest, rubbing her hands over his back to soothe his misplaced frustration. “I'm going to go put your bags in the car,” she said, pulling back slowly.

“Betty-”

“It's been five minutes and you know how your mom gets when you ignore her,” she said, a smile peeking through the serious look she was giving him. 

“Okay,” he hummed, leaning forward to kiss her. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” she murmured against his lips before she pulled away, walking over to where his bags were lined up at the door. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, typing something quickly before shoving it back out of sight. She glanced over at him as a mischievous smile flickered across her face, just long enough for him to catch it. 

His brows furrowed but he didn't say anything as she leaned down to grab his bags, pulling one over either shoulder. “Thank you,” he repeated.

She walked back over to peck his lips. “I'll meet you in the kitchen.”

Jughead nodded, watching her leave before he tugged on his black bag, full of the miscellaneous things (including snacks) he could need at a moment's notice. He leaned down to pick up Sparks’ strap, setting it on his shoulder as he glanced around the room one last time. Even if he knew most of the day was going to consist of him sitting or laying down, he was still tired out by the commotion from the day before and he really didn't want to have to walk upstairs again.

He sighed when he reached the edge of the stairs, gripping the railing with one hand as he began to descend. He paused just before the sixth step.

He felt like he was forgetting something, but _what_?

 _Sparks, phone, wallet, socks, his bag._ He ran his tongue along his front teeth, groaning when he realized he had forgotten to brush them.

Jughead sighed to himself, turned, and walked back up the stairs to the bathroom. He smiled at the mirror when he noticed his crazy bed head, not sure if he was annoyed or in love with Betty for letting him walk around like an idiot all morning. As he ran a comb through his hair, he realized he didn't really care. If looking like Alfalfa or Einstein was funny to her, he'd do it a million times.

After making himself look like a normal human being, he grabbed a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste, absentmindedly brushing his teeth as he stared at the mirror. He blinked after spending a little too much time on his molars, quickly finishing up before he rinsed his mouth out. He set his toothbrush down, patting his mouth dry before he reached down to pull his beanie from his pocket, tugging it on. He adjusted the fit of the cannula under his nose before exiting the bathroom and heading downstairs. 

Jughead walked into the kitchen, frowning when his mother and Betty were nowhere to be seen. “Betts?”

No one responded.

“Mom?”

His brows furrowed at another stretch of silence.

He walked over to the front door, walking out towards the driveway. He walked down the steps to see Archie, Sweet Pea, Betty, and his mother all standing by Betty's car.

“Told you he'd come looking,” Betty laughed as Jughead stepping into the circle between Betty and his mother.

“What's going on?”

“We wanted to surprise you before you left,” Archie said with a smile. 

“That, and we wanted to make sure Muscles over here-” Sweet Pea grinned when Betty shoved him. “Wasn't getting too neurotic with packing up the car.”

“I just want to make sure we have everything,” Betty huffed, rolling her eyes at Sweet Pea. “Though I will say, I love the cooler you leant. That’s going to be useful with how much Juggie eats.”

Sweet Pea chuckled, shaking his head before procuring a box wrapped with exactly the bow Betty used when she was wrapping packages for other people to gift from behind his back. He thurst the plane looking box wrapped in butcher’s paper into Jughead’s hands. “Merry graduation, pin cushion!”

“What is it?”

“Unwrap it,” Gladys urged, nudging his shoulder. 

Jughead glanced over at Betty, relaxing a little when she nodded him on with a smile. He pulled the bow off, sticking it to Betty's shoulder out of habit before he ripped the paper away, revealing the contents of the box to be a travel-sized nebulizer. “Hey, this is pretty cool!” 

Sweet Pea grinned, holding his arms out for a hug. “It was from me.”

Archie huffed, nudging his shoulder.

“Just me,” Sweet Pea emphasized. He pulled Jughead into a hug before allowing him to walk over to hug Archie.

“Thanks, guys.”

“We also brought breakfast,” Archie said, holding out a white paper bag from Pop’s.

Jughead’s eyes widened as he grabbed the bag from Archie, hugging it to his chest. “ _You guys_.”

Sweet Pea laughed, elbowing Archie. “I told you he’d like that more than the nebulizer.”

Archie shrugged a shoulder, smiling when they all dissolved into laughter.

Betty nudged Jughead softly, leaning up until her lips brushed the shell of his ear. “We should getting on the road soon, don’t you think?”

Jughead nodded, turning to kiss her forehead before Betty played bad cop, blaming the clock.

They finally managed to get into the car ten minutes later, much to Jughead’s relief.

“What's our travel time?”

Betty held up a finger as she typed with the other hand. After a moment of silence, she looked back up at him, his own reflection staring back at him in her rose-gold glasses. “GPS says almost four hours to Erie,” Betty said, rubbing her brow. She sighed heavily before smiling tiredly at him. “You have everything?”

“I checked my list three times,” Jughead said with a nod. “You would have been proud watching me pack.”

She rolled her eyes despite the smile on her lips and the faintest shade of pink painted along her cheeks. “I'm proud just hearing that.”

Jughead smiled, settling back in his seat as he opened his laptop.

Betty pinched his cheek teasingly before putting on her sunglasses. She looked behind them as she backed out of the driveway. “What chapter are you on now?”

Jughead scrolled through the document he was working on, pausing somewhere around the tenth page. “Six.” He inserted a new line, pausing to reread the last sentence he'd written two days before. He looked up at her. “Finally getting to the good part.”

Betty hummed in acknowledgement, glancing over at him at a stop sign. She smiled hopefully. “Are you going to tell me about it yet?”

Jughead grinned, shaking his head.

“Juggie,” she groaned impatiently, glancing at each point of the four-way intersection before accelerating. “You need to tell me eventually.”

Jughead sighed, aware she wasn't going to let it go. “Ask me when we get to Ohio.”

Her brow twitched. “Like Toledo, Ohio or when we hit state lines?”

“Ask me when we get to Ohio,” he repeated, chuckling when she groaned loudly.

She sighed melodramatically. “You aggravate me sometimes.”

Jughead reached out to brush her hair over her shoulder, tracing the pads of his fingers along her vertebrae to soothe her. “You’ll have to forgive me, it's just a side effect.”

Her brows furrowed. “Of what, being a cranky old man at eighteen?”

“I was going to say my sardonic bitching, but that's funnier.”

She beamed at the road ahead, leaning into his touch. “I'm glad you think so.”

He smiled, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “You promise you'll still smile like this, even after being locked in a car with me for, like, four days worth of driving?”

Betty chuckled as they slowed to a stop at a light. “We will definitely see.”

“I’ll be quiet,” he joked, frowning a little when Betty looked over at him with a serious expression on her face.

She glanced back at the road for a second before pulling her thin rose coloured glasses down the bridge of her nose. “You're joking, right?”

Jughead shrugged, pausing to consider his words. “Mostly.”

“Mostly?”

“I don't know. I’m okay if you tell me to shut up for a while.”

Betty glanced at the light before she met his gaze again. “Are you serious?”

He frowned. “Why would I not be?”

Betty sighed, shaking her head. She glanced at the light again, pressing the gas when it changed from red to green. “I hate when you do this.”

“Do _what_?”

“I spend time with you because I like you and your personality. I wouldn't have offered to drive if I didn't want to be with you.” Betty shook her head again. “Seriously, for someone who likes to say he doesn't care about inconveniencing people, you care _so_ deeply.”

He looked down at the cursor blinking on his half-empty page, sighing heavily after a moment of quiet. “Yeah, whatever,” he said quietly. He carefully pulled his hand away, going back a few lines to add a comma he didn't really need just so he could focus on something else.

“Please remember that I'm in love with you.” Betty reached out to rest her hand on his thigh. “I've _been_ signed up for the good, the bad, and the snarky.”

Jughead smiled brightly, resting his hand over hers. “I love you, too.”

She squeezed his thigh before pulling her hand away as they merged onto the highway.

Jughead settled back into his writing as she drove, picking at the open box of Frosted Flakes wedged between them.

Betty's phone vibrated between them, alerting her of a notification. “Can you look at that for me?” she asked, passing the device to him.

“Yeah,” Jughead mumbled, turning it around to look at the screen. 

 _Snapchat from Toni_. 

“Can I open it?”

“Of course.” Betty nodded, not glancing over at him as she merged onto the highway. 

A photo of Toni and Cheryl laughing appeared on the screen. Toni was in her black gown for Southside High’s upcoming graduation, wearing her cap decorated in a swirl of purples, blues, and pinks, grinning like crazy as she held Cheryl bridal style.

Jughead smiled, screenshotting the photo before opening to reply. He scrunched up his face, holding the phone at an unflattering angle before taking a selfie. Before he could tell Betty about the photo, her phone chimed again, this time with a text from Sweet Pea.

_Mr green giant: DID U LOOK @ THE ESSAY_

Jughead sighed, shaking his head before he glanced over at Betty. “Toni sent a photo on Snapchat of her and Cheryl. I'll show you later.”

Betty nodded, switching lanes.

“Sweets texted, too.”

Betty's mouth fell open. “I didn't read his essay,” she murmured softly to herself. “Fuck,” she huffed, slapping the wheel. She went quiet for a few moments. “Hey, Jug,” she began sweetly, using her _pretty, pretty please_ voice.

“Fine,” Jughead mumbled, opening a hotspot on his phone before clicking on a new tab. “Your Gmail?”

Betty nodded, resting her right hand on his thigh. “Thank you, kitten.”

“Yeah,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Whatever.”

She smiled, reaching out to wrap her fingers around the back of his neck.

Jughead leaned into her touch as he scrolled through her emails, clicking on the one from Sweet Pea.

_Subject: thx!!!!!_

_Link: theFUCKINGcanterburytales.word_

_Body: heres the essay - its pretty shitty but I did what I could. need it by friday so I can get my diploma and get TF out of rvd_

_Thxxxx_

_-sp_

“So articulate,” Jughead noted, smiling when Betty chuckled. He glanced over at her, a grin on his lips. “A man of epic vocabulary.”

“Indubitably.”

Jughead laughed, opening the essay in question before he set to work marking up the pages. Even if it was a good essay, some of the language was a little _too_ superfluous to come from Sweet Pea. Jughead was sure that was due to Betty practically writing the essay for him as she paced the length of his room at one of their final homework sessions. The minimum was three pages- Jughead remembered Sweet Pea bitching about it -but the essay itself was only a little more than two and a half pages. It was technically long enough to get by, but it still made Jughead roll his eyes. 

Jughead emailed the essay back to Sweet Pea, shooting him a text before setting Betty's phone down and redirecting his attention back to his computer. He'd just added a new page when he felt Betty poke his side. He grunted in acknowledgement, not bothering to glance up.

“Welcome to Pennsylvania,” Betty sang, reaching out to touch his cheek so he would look up at her.

He saw the sign just before they passed it.“We made it over state lines.” He pulled her hand to his lips, smiling against her warm skin when she laughed. “That's progress.”

Betty nodded, smiling brightly. She glanced over at the clock and then back at the road. “Want to stop in an hour?”

Jughead hummed in thought before nodding at her. “PT, then lunch?”

Betty nodded again. “Can you see if there's anywhere to stop an hour down the road? Or closer if you're hungry.”

“I'm okay.” Jughead nodded, glancing around for her phone. He checked the directions before exiting out of the map. “I doubt it'll take me that long, but continue straight for twenty-five miles.”

Betty chuckled. “Thanks.”

“Of course,” he said, glancing over the map. He hummed along to the radio as he picked out a small town down the road with a gas station, McDonald's, and what looked like plenty of wide-open spaces.

It was definitely one of Betty's weirder superpowers, but in the few times they'd taken trips around New York or crossed over state lines, usually in search of a spot for him to photograph, he'd come to realize that she had a knack for finding the prettiest places. 

She was a magnet for butterflies and happy accidents.

When they turned off the highway onto a back road that still had double yellow lines down the middle, Jughead closed his laptop, looking out the window at the passing greenery.

“Jug?”

He hummed in acknowledgement, glancing over at Betty after a moment. “Yeah?”

She reached out for his hand, squeezing it before smiling softly. “What's on your mind?”

He sighed, shaking his head.

“Please?” Betty tried, pouting as she looked ahead. 

Jughead pursed his lips. “Did you see my mom's face last night? At the Wyrm,” he asked as he rested his temple against the window.

Betty took his hand in hers, drawing his attention over to her. “What happened?”

He played with her fingers as he focused on the feeling of the cool glass of the window behind his head. “She got that look on her face again.” He sighed at the frown on Betty’s lips. “You remember when I was sick right before my birthday?”

Betty nodded. 

“She gave me the same look she did when she thought I was sleeping.”

Betty's frown deepened.

Betty had been asleep on his chest at that point, but it had been dark enough that he could watch Gladys stand in his doorway, looking at him with something between grief and happiness in her eyes. Up close, lit by the fluorescent overheads of the Whyte Worm, the look had been so much worse. He hadn't had much time to dwell on it, as Betty had pulled him over to the booth they'd commandeered in the back, but it truly had been one of the worst looks he'd seen from her.

“Does she realize she's doing it?”

Jughead shrugged a shoulder, picking up the box with his new nebulizer so he had something to fidget with; his anxiety was probably very obvious to her, but he didn't care. He tore open the glossy white cardboard on top, pulling out the white nebulizer sitting in a clear plastic tray. He turned the device over, cataloguing every button and port just as Betty parked the car.

He pressed the _on_ button, ignoring the initial spark of panic he felt when nothing happened. 

“I tested it yesterday, try flipping the batteries,” Betty suggested. “If not, it plugs in and we have the adaptor on the dash.”

Jughead flipped the device over, swapping the batteries before trying again. “It's not working,” he said, staring down at the compact looking unit with wide eyes. “We need to go back, it's not-” Jughead took a shaky breath, knocking Betty's phone out of her hands as he passed the unit to her. 

“What?” She glanced over at him, her face shifting from confusion to sympathy before she reached out to caress his cheek. “What's wrong, angel?”

“It's not working and I'm sure it's an easy fix, but I'm freaking out and that's not conducive to fixing anything.” He wrapped his arms around his knees, looking up at her with a pout on his lips. “You're better at fixing things anyway.”

She nodded after a moment of hesitation. “Okay,” she breathed, reaching between them for the discarded directions packet. “I'll have it working in a minute, don't worry.”

Jughead stared forward, looking out over the meadow they were parked in front of. The tall grass was dotted with clusters of yellow and purple wildflowers, green rolling on all the way to the edge of the hill before continuing out of sight. Tall pines lined the mountains in the distance. “I brought my camera, right?”

Betty glanced up at him, the white plastic cover for the battery compartment between her teeth as she fidgeted with the batteries. “Black duffle?” she tried, quirking a brow as if she wasn't really sure herself. She pulled the plastic from her mouth. “I was taking a nap when you were packing, remember?”

Jughead nodded. “Sorry.”

She smiled warmly, reaching out to pinch his cheek. “You don't have anything to apologize for.” 

He smiled at her before looking through his black backpack sat between his feet as she returned to her fidgeting beside him. He pulled out his bag of pills and a few other random items as he dug, searching for the familiar solid frame of his camera.

“Fixed it!”

“Got her!”

They glanced at each other, laughing happily after a moment of shared quiet.

Betty pressed the _on_ button, making the nebulizer buzz before she turned it off. “Did it.”

He smiled, slipping the lens cap off of his camera before he held it up to her, grinning as she laughed. “You did,” he praised, pressing the shutter release.

She held the nebulizer up as if she were auditioning to be the Vanna White of CF medical instruments, giggling when he took another picture. She rolled her eyes when he continued snapping photos. “That's enough,” she murmured, setting the nebulizer down in his lap. She sighed heavily when he didn't stop, reaching out to push his camera away. 

He shoved her hand away, dodging another attempt to grab the camera.

“Hey!”

“You're not even really mad,” he huffed, laughing when she paused, frowning because he was _right_. 

“Hate you.”

“You definitely do not,” he smiled, reaching out to tilt her chin up, earning a warm smile from her just before he took another photo.

She turned towards the windshield, running her fingers through her hair as sunlight peeked out from behind her.

Jughead gasped when sunlight streaked across the photo. “Don't move,” he said quickly, taking her photo before he played around with the angle for two more.

After a few moments, Betty quirked a brow. “I'm getting hungry, Jughead,” she warned. 

He sighed, pulling the camera away from his eye with a pout on his lips.

Betty smiled, reaching out to cup his cheek. “I found a great spot for your PT, come on.”

“Exactly!” Jughead leaned forward to kiss her lips. “You found a _beautiful_ spot,” he agreed, kissing her once more. “One more of the mountain and then I'll get started?”

Betty sighed, nodding her head. “I’m getting your nebulizer ready.”

He smiled before kissing her again. “I love you.”

She grinned after he pulled away. “I love you, too.”

Jughead pushed his door open before walking over to the edge of the small parking lot. He pulled his phone out, marking the location in his notes before slipping his phone in his back pocket. He held his camera up to his eye as he looked out at the beautiful valley below through the viewfinder. From the edge of the hill, he could see busy streets knit together and travelled out in every direction, separated by infinite trees. He snapped several photos before he looked back at the car. 

Betty was standing outside the driver’s side door, glancing over at the road as she took a few hits from the small wax pen in her hand.

He was sure she really wanted a cigarette, but he knew she’d never light one up if he was anywhere nearby. 

He didn't mind much as Betty smoking allowed him the perfect opportunity to take her photo from afar. There was one of her leaning against a pole in New York City, bundled up in a heavy coat with the little white stick tucked safely between her fingers and another of her sitting cross-legged in the grass as Hot Dog ran by, her cigarette sharply juxtaposed against her pretty blue sundress and the colourful flowers surrounding her. He had more, but those two were his favourites. Jughead had far too many photographs taken when she wasn’t looking.

While he cherished the photographs that showed a very different Betty than most of the world got to see, there was something intriguing about the mask she fell into when he wasn’t around.

He waited patiently, watching as she tucked the small unit away, stretching her arms over her head. He adjusted his position so he could capture a shot of her silhouette through the open doors of the car as she ran her fingers through her hair.

“Come on, Juggie.” She glanced over at him with a warm smile on her lips. “I'm about to be very hungry.”

Jughead laughed, walking over to the car. “Is that true, stoney bologna?”

Betty rolled her eyes, taking a seat in the car again. “ _Sit_.”

He smiled, taking his seat beside her. He opened his mouth before Betty shoved his nebulizer between his lips without any preamble. Jughead reached into his black pack as he breathed in and out, firmly biting on the plastic of the disposable nebulizer head to hold it in place as he rifled around for the bottle of enzymes he had to take before his meals. He looked up when Betty held a hand out to him. 

“You want me to open it?” She reached out to support his nebulizer with one finger, allowing him to relax his jaw. “Or hold something.”

Jughead handed the pills over to her, pulling away after he wrapped one hand around his nebulizer.

Betty easily opened the pill bottle, pouring a few capsules into her palm before she paused. “Do you want an extra one since we're going to McDonald's?”

He nodded after a second of contemplation.

“You have the pill organizer?”

Jughead blinked, looking down at the black pack. He would talk to her about it eventually, maybe tomorrow. He passed the clear plastic off to him, watching as she dropped his enzymes in one at a time (counting under her breath as she did) with the pills he needed to take after finishing with his Afflovest. 

Betty closed the lid before setting it down in her lap. She rested her elbows on her knees as she played on her phone, catching up on notifications she missed out on while driving.

He reached out to rub his hand between her shoulders, scratching lightly in reward when she glanced up at him.

She smiled when she met his gaze. “Do you want my attention?”

Jughead nodded, ignoring the flush crawling over his cheeks. 

Betty scooted closer to rest her feet in his lap, continually running her fingers through his hair as she caught him up on all of Riverdale’s gossip, courtesy of a handful of texts from Cheryl. 

He watched her as she spoke, not paying attention to most of what she was talking about as he focused on her soft lips and delicate eyelashes. He took a deep breath in when he reached the end of his medication, holding his last breath for a little longer than necessary after pulling the device away.

She peeled the lid off of the empty cup that had held his coffee earlier that morning, holding it out to him after he got clipped into his Afflovest and switched it on.

Jughead set a timer on his phone, awkwardly bending this way and that within the confines of the car, huffing and hacking and coughing. He nearly hit his head on the roof of the car when he leaned over the seat, spitting into his cup. He _actually_ hit his head on the roof when Betty slapped his ass. “Watch it!”

“Sorry,” Betty apologized, though she didn't sound very sorry. “Couldn't resist.” 

“You're rude,” he huffed, leaning back when he heard his timer going off. He yelped when she grabbed him again. “Betty!”

“My hand slipped,” she defended, not even trying to play innocent as he sat down properly once more. 

“Don't believe you.”

She shrugged a shoulder, slipping the lid back on his coffee cup so they could throw it out when they go to the McDonald's on her GPS. “Sorry?”

Jughead sighed, getting buckled before leaning back in his seat. “You definitely are not.”

Betty shrugged a shoulder before putting the car in reverse. “Whoops,” she hummed, sliding his pills over to him with a grin. “I guess you caught me.”

“You're a jerk.”

She grinned as she pulled onto the road again, heading towards their next destination.

Because of their time spent with his PT, they missed the big lunch rush and got their food in a rather short period of time.

Jughead immediately opened the paper bag when Betty passed it off to him, pulling out a cardboard box that contained his quarter pounder to take a large bite as Betty found a parking space at the edge of the lot so they could watch cars pass by. He passed her a hamburger wrapped in white parchment after she turned off the car.

Betty unbuckled before she turned to rest her feet in his lap as she ate against the driver's side door, smiling brightly before she took a bite.

After a few moments, she nudged him with the toe of her Converse when he had gotten lost staring out the windshield, stalling on the last few bites of his burger as he watched people jog back and forth down the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road. “Come back to me.”

Jughead hummed as he glanced over at Betty, jumping in surprise when he saw her suddenly sitting so close to him. “What?”

She sighed, reaching up to brush his hair out of his eyes. “You were staring off into space for a minute there.”

“Oh,” he said quietly, unsure how to respond as he looked down at the remainder of his burger. “I'm sorry.”

Betty shook her head, reaching out to cup his cheek. “You're sleepy.” It was an observation rather than a statement.

Jughead shrugged, letting his eyes slip closed as he leaned into her warm palm. He hummed happily when she leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

“We’re almost there.”

He nodded slowly. His lips parted when her mouth brushed along his.

Her soft lips drifted to his brow. “Come on,” she encouraged, resting her head on his shoulder. “Finish eating and we can keep going.”

“I can eat while you drive.”

“You'll be out before we get on the highway,” Betty huffed. “You need to do better than that if you think you can fool me.”

He nodded his head. “Can you have some of my fries then?”

“Why?”

“We had a big breakfast.”

“Not really.”

Jughead signed, rubbing one of his eyes. “Look, I'm just really tired and I'm not hungry anymore, okay?”

She raised her head, searching his face before she reached out to feel his forehead. “You're not warm.”

“Yeah, I'm _tired_ ,” Jughead snapped. 

Betty pulled back slowly, cocking her head to the side as she looked him up and down. 

He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his seat.

She quirked a brow when he glared at her following a stretch of silence after his outburst. “Try again.”

Jughead took a deep breath, unable to quell all of his anger, but enough that she'd know he was _trying_ . “I don't feel sick,” he began. “We graduated yesterday, I had to go to a party, _and_ we've been up for over six hours and we're not even at our location, yet. I'm a little rundown, so I'm getting crabby and I'm sorry.”

Betty looked between his eyes, nodding before she reached out for his fries. “Can you eat your other burger?” she asked as she pulled it out of the bag.

Jughead nodded.

“Good,” Betty smiled, peeling back the paper. “Fries on top?”

“Yes, please.”

She nodded, leaning forward to kiss his cheek before continuing. “So,” she said, shoving a fry in her mouth and offering one to him. “The place has a big television and I was thinking we could stop get some popcorn and a couple of microwave dinners when we go to the grocery store for water and stuff and have a nice night in. What do you think?”

Jughead smiled as he reached out to brush a lock of hair out of her eyes. “I think that sounds like the best night ever.”

Betty smiled around a mouthful of fries. “I assumed you'd enjoy it.”

He hummed, leaning forward to kiss the tip of her nose. “You're cute.”

Betty pecked his cheek. “So are you.”

Jughead smiled, accepting his burger from her. “Thank you.”

She smiled, leaning into his side as she picked at the container of fries.

In what seemed like only a few minutes, though he wasn’t really paying attention to the clock, they were back on the road again. 

Jughead’s eyes felt heavy as he watched the highway drag on and on. He smiled tiredly when Betty reached out to rest her hand on his belly. “What’re you doing?” he murmured, smiling over at her.

“Seeing if the baby kicks.”

Jughead snorted. “Jerk.”

Betty smiled, reaching out to cup his cheek. “Take a nap.”

“That sounds nice,” he sighed, leaning into her touch. “How long until we get there?”

“Maybe two hours.” Her thumb brushed along the apple of his cheek, making his eyes flutter shut. “Sleep, Juggie.”

He groaned in acknowledgement, his body heavy as he moved to rest his head against the window. “Wake me if you get lonely.”

She hummed, pinching his cheek before she pulled her hand away. “Sleep well, kitten.”

Jughead woke up to Betty's fingers combing through his hair as he rested his head on her thigh. He blinked slowly, smiling to himself despite how sweaty he felt as he heard her humming along to a song on the radio.

She scratched her nails along his scalp, drawing a groan from the back of his throat. “Wake up, sunshine,” she breathed, tracing her thumb along the back of his neck.

He groaned in acknowledgement, wrapping his arm around her knees. “Sleep.”

Betty chuckled. “You need to wake up.”

“No.”

“Come on, we're five minutes away from the store.”

Jughead's brows pinched together in confusion. “The store?” He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his tired eyes. “What store?” he looked around the busy street they were in.

They definitely weren't in Riverdale anymore.

“Where are we?” he asked, squinting against the setting sun. 

“Erie, Pennsylvania; home to Erie Art Museum, Presque State Park, if you're feeling like a hike-” She smiled widely when he interrupted her with a laugh. “Waldameer Park and Water World, should you want to die of infection after swimming in the bacteria-ridden, yet somehow over-chlorinated waters,” she continued. “And our small cabin getaway right along the waters of Lake Erie.”

Jughead nodded, yawning loudly as he stretched the best he could in the small car. “And how far are we?”

“Fifteen minutes, excluding a stop at the grocery store.”

Jughead hummed in acknowledgement, closing his eyes as he propped his feet on the dashboard. “Can I stay in the car?”

Betty frowned. “I don't want to go without you.”

“It'll only be a few minutes.”

“ _Exactly_.”

Jughead whined, glancing over at her with a frown.

“Come on, don't be lazy, Juggie.”

He whined again, more dramatically this time, earning a laugh from her. He already accepted that he would be forced to walk the foreign grocery store with her, but it was still fun to tease her. “Fine.”

Betty cheered, leaning over to kiss his cheek at a red light. “Do you want to order out?”

“Does our Airbnb have a microwave?”

Betty hummed in thought before shrugging a shoulder. “I don't know, actually. Check the app.” 

Jughead nodded, unlocking her phone with his thumbprint. He found the Airbnb app, checking on their reservation for the night. “ _Our spacious, beach-style living quarters do have a kitchenette with a microwave, mini-fridge, and a toaster oven_ ,” Jughead read aloud, rolling his eyes at just how hard the owners of their Airbnb were trying. He glanced over at Betty, resting his head on the edge of the seat as he mindlessly twirled a lock of her golden hair around his index finger. “I'm okay with Stouffer's mac and cheese if you are.”

“I say we go crazy in the snack aisle, too.”

Jughead chuckled, nodding his head. “Sounds like the best kind of night in.”

Betty smiled brightly, turning onto a side street and then into a shopping plaza. “My vote is we wait on the cooler until after Toledo.”

“Oh, for sure,” Jughead agreed. “We have a mini-fridge for the night and _Dad's_ fridge for a week after that. I think I can survive without a yogurt on our drive tomorrow.”

Betty nodded as she parked in a handicapped space by the door.

Jughead frowned, leaning back in his seat. “I don't want to have this argument the whole trip.”

“Well, I'm parking where I want to for the rest of the trip, so, I don't understand the problem.” 

“Okay.”

“Maybe _I'm_ lazy, okay?”

“I said okay.”

Betty pursed her lips. “You're still not happy.”

He shrugged, ripping his cannula off before pulling his sweater over his head.

“Shit, baby-”

“I know,” he mumbled, pulling his sweat-soaked shirt over his head, dropping it on the floor. He combed his fingers through his hair, closing his eyes as he rested his forehead on the dash. He redirected the vents to blow cold air towards him. “Can you grab me another shirt?”

“Yeah.” The car beeped as Betty’s door opened. The door closed before the back one opened and she crawled in back, rifling through a bag. She returned to the front seat, rubbing her warm palm over his shoulder blade. “I would have woken you up if I knew you were that hot, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Jughead mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He glanced over at her, smiling weakly when she held a black shirt out to him. “Thanks,” he murmured, holding his hand out to her.

She wrapped her free hand around his wrist as she pressed the fabric into his hand. “Look at me?”

He glanced over at her, watching as her brows furrowed while she studied his face. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“You don’t have to come in with me if you don’t want to,” she said softly.

Jughead smiled, dropping his shirt before reaching out to cup her neck. “All that arguing and you’re going to let me out of it because I’m a little sweaty?”

She shrugged a shoulder as she smiled sheepishly. “I don’t want to push you.”

He shook his head, sitting up just long enough to pull on the shirt before pulling her forehead to his. “You’re going soft on me.”

She huffed, blowing a few strands of hair out of her eyes.

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

“But I-”

“I’ll be fine after a Gatorade,” he promised, leaning forward to kiss her lips. “Okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Jughead smiled, kissing her again before he leaned over to grab his cannula, breathing deeply after threading it under his nose and over his ears. He glanced around the car after running his fingers through his hair. “Where’s my beanie?”

“You threw it on the dash,” Betty said, jerking her chin in the direction of the dashboard where his beanie was sitting over an air vent.

“When did I do that?” Jughead asked, reaching out for the worn gray fabric. He shivered a little at how cold it was as he pulled it on his head.

“Somewhere on I-90.” She shrugged. “I was also really sad you slept through Forsyth, Pennsylvania.”

“I’m sorry about that,” Jughead said sarcastically, leaning over to wrap his arm around her waist. “But I had a great nap, so I’m happy.”

“I’m glad you slept well between passing out on the window and the death-grip you had on my waist when you decided my lap was the best pillow not even fine minutes later.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jughead rolled his eyes as he reached out for the door handle. “Can we go now?”

“You’re the one who needs to be cuddled _constantly_.”

Jughead pushed his door open, standing at the same time as Betty, only the hot metal of the roof of her can between them. “ _Me_?”

“Yes, you.”

Jughead rolled his eyes. “I’ve had to pry you off of me before!”

“You are _so_ clingy.”

“Okay, okay. I get it, I'm obsessed with you or whatever.”

“ _Or whatever_ ,” Betty mocked, amusement clear in her voice.

“I’m _agreeing_ with you,” Jughead groaned, wrapping his arm around her neck before giving her a playful squeeze as they walked towards the entrance of the store. “Stop it already.”

Betty giggled, wrapping an arm around his waist after scooping up a bright red handcart. “What colour Gatorade are you feeling?” she asked after glancing around the isles.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly as she tugged them towards a random aisle, their sneakers squeaking as they walked along the white linoleum tiles. “Blue, maybe?”

“Which blue?”

Jughead hummed in thought. “The better one.”

Betty chuckled, nodding her head as they continued on towards the drink aisle. She handed the basket to him, running off to grab him his drink; she cracked the seal before handing it off to him.

“Thanks,” Jughead murmured, taking a few large sips before they walked over to the water section. Jughead glanced between the handcart and a group of twenty-eight waters shrink-wrapped together. “We're going to need a bigger basket.”

She chuckled beside him. “I think you may be right.” She took the basket from his hands, kissing his lips before walking off to grab a cart.

Jughead watched her walk away before turning back to the shelves in front of him. He looked up when he heard a shopping cart roll towards him.

Betty smiled, leaning over the handlebar as she and the cart wheeled over. 

He stopped the cart with his foot, smiling as he leaned over the empty carriage. 

She leaned forward to kiss his lips, chuckling happily before she stepped onto the floor, running over to wrap her arms around his waist from behind. “Can we get ice cream?”

Jughead smiled, turning back to kiss her forehead. “Ben and Jerry’s?”

Betty nodded. “Half-baked?”

He grinned down at a jug of iced tea. “Are you?”

Betty squeezed his side, giggling when he jumped. “Don’t be a brat.”

“Fine,” he grumbled, turning in her arms. “Where do you want to start?”

She hummed in thought. “Want to start in the produce section?”

“Can we get _strawberries_?”

Betty smiled, leaning up to kiss his lips. “Of course.”

He hummed happily as he pressed his lips to hers. 

* * *

“Okay,” Jughead said, looking down at the message from their host, Erica. “So, the front door has an access code that we can type in to unlock it and the keys are on the counter right next to the door.”

Betty nodded, pulling her phone out to text their mothers. “You want to shower first? You can do the last round of PT while I shower.”

“Sounds like an efficient use of our time.”

“I'm glad you agree.”

Jughead smiled, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. 

She smiled as she turned away to push her door open, walking around to the trunk to pull out their bags. “Can you take one of yours?”

“Yeah,” Jughead said, getting out of the car to take the bag she passed to him before following her up to the front door.

Betty punched in the code, smiling adorably when the locking mechanism beeped happily. “We're in.”

“I've never been more excited to see a bed,” he murmured, rubbing his hand up and down her back as he nudged her along. He swallowed when he noticed a long set of stairs. He wouldn’t say a word to Betty, but he was thankful for her having parked so close to the door by the time they were done with their trip to the grocery store. “Which floor?”

Betty reached over for the key. “Key says one, the door says-” Betty glanced over at the door before smiling brightly. “One!” She shoved the key in the lock, letting them into a clean looking living room. “Oh, this is cute!” Betty exclaimed, setting their bags down as she sat down and untied her shoes. She shoved them off, about to push up onto her feet before she froze.

“Hoe, don’t do it.”

Betty smirked, sitting back down before she began untying his shoes.

Jughead sighed, setting his bags down. “Oh, my god.”

“Just shut up, okay?”

“Shutting up now,” Jughead mumbled. He rested his hand on Betty’s shoulder as he shifted his weight after she nudged the back of his calf with her fingertips so she could shove his shoe off. She helped him out of the other one before rising to her feet and leading him towards their bedroom.

She collapsed back against the king-sized mattress, encouraging him to shower so they could finally relax for the night.

After he showered, he returned to the bedroom to find Betty peeling the plastic off of a container of Stouffer’s microwavable mac and cheese- a favourite snack that they had shared during many classic movies at his house over the years. “Oh, perfect,” she said. “I’m going to shower. Just start the microwave when you hear me shut off the water.”

Jughead nodded, quickly setting into his usual nightly routine- nebulizer, Afflovest, pills -finally slipping under the covers as Betty slipped out of the bathroom, a fluffy white towel wrapped around her body and a gray one around her hair as she walked over to her duffle bag, riffling through for her pyjamas.

Betty smiled over at him when she noticed his staring. “What is it?”

Jughead shrugged his shoulders. “I can’t look at you?”

“I mean you _can_ , I just was curious as to _why_ you were looking.”

“You’re _beautiful_ , Betty Cooper.”

She smiled, rolling her eyes. “Yeah,” she hummed, scooping up her clothes before walking off towards the bathroom. “Whatever.”

Jughead sighed, laying back against the pillows. “Can’t I just gush about how much I _like_ you?”

“ _Whatever_!”

Jughead closed his eyes as he waited patiently for Betty to return, sinking back into the soft mattress. He smiled when the door opened again.

Betty paced around the room as she finished getting ready for bed. She returned with the plastic tray of mac and cheese, his bag of pills tucked safely under her arm.

They ate quickly, giggling as they knocked spoons while jokingly trying to steal from each other’s ‘half’ of the tray (in actuality, he ate a little more than two-thirds of the tray while Betty ate slowly). 

He quickly wrapped his arms around her when she finally sank below the covers.

“What are you doing?” Betty chuckled. Her breath hitched when he reached out to trace his fingers down her side.

He trailed his fingertips along the waistband of her panties, his middle sliding down to run slow circles over her clit through the thin fabric.

She settled into his grasp, bucking against his fingertip when he pressed more firmly as he kissed the soft skin of her neck. “Juggie-”

He pushed up on his elbow, pushing her onto her back before he crawled between her thighs. “I bet I can make you come with one finger.”

Her face immediately went red as she was forced to look at him. “Not this game again.”

He rested his hand over the thin fabric between her thighs, no longer stimulating her as he pressed a gentle kiss against the side of her throat. “Did you not have fun last time?” he teased, resting his head on her shoulder.

Her hips twitched at his words. “Juggie, I'm sleepy.”

“Just let me make you feel good then,” he murmured, leaning forward to kiss her lips after he rolled his thumb over her clit. “It's been too long since I made you come.”

Betty huffed. “Like, what, four days ago?”

He hummed in agreement. “Far too long in my book.”

She rolled her eyes, opening her mouth for some snarky comeback until he pushed her panties to the side, running his middle finger over the length of the apex of her thighs, stopping at her clit. Her lips slowly pulled into a relaxed smile as she melted into the mattress while his slick finger worked in tight circles.

“That's it,” he breathed, leaning down to kiss the column of her throat as he quickly worked her higher and higher. He pushed up on his elbow, watching her half-lidded eyes struggle to stay open before he leaned forward to kiss her.

Her thighs tensed around his hand as he slowly, teasingly bit her lower lip. “Faster,” she encouraged, digging her nails into his hip.

“Close?”

She nodded, whimpering sweetly when he moved his finger faster until she finally tipped over the edge. Her thighs clamped around his waist as her back arched and a sharp moan escaped her kiss bitten lips. She clung to him as he worked her through her orgasm. Slowly, she caught her breath as he held her close.

When her breathing finally returned to normal, he was able to slip away for two bottles of water and the ice cream they purchased at the store. He smiled as Betty quickly curled up against his side when he returned to their bed. 

She took slow breaths as she pressed her sweaty forehead against his throat. “We haven't done that in a little while.”

Jughead hummed in agreement, brushing her hair behind her shoulder, save for a few flyaways plastered to her neck still. “Have I been neglecting your needs recently?”

“No,” Betty sighed. “I was obsessing over finals and kind of radio silenced you.”

“Studying is important.”

“But I-”

“That wasn't all of what I want to do for you,” Jughead interrupted, smiling when she listened eagerly. “We'll have our actual post-grad moment, but I wanted to do more of that.” His free hand cupped her jaw, his thumb slowly stroking back and forth over her cheek softly. “You feel good?”

Betty nodded, throwing her arm over his waist as she moved to glance up at him. She smiled warmly, leaning up to kiss her cheek. “Really good.”

“Good,” he hummed, pulling her closer. “I brought over the ice cream.”

She sat up, gently nudging him in the way of his nightstand. “You’re so sweet,” she said sweetly as she pulled the lid off. She accepted a spoon from him, holding it out until he slapped hers with a shark _clank_. “To a successful first day.”

Jughead smiled, leaning forward to kiss her. “To a successful first day,” he echoed before kissing her again.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi to me on [tumblr](http://literatiruinedme.tumblr.com/)!


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